Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-06-03-Speech-2-196"
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"en.20030603.6.2-196"2
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"Mr President, in this Parliament we have discussed the CAP often, and at length. I hope this time we shall achieve some conclusive results. I am sure I speak on behalf of the whole farming community in that regard.
I come from a country, Wales, where the per annum income of some of our farmers, especially in the less-favoured areas, 80% of our nation, is as low now as EUR 6 000. This is at a time when the large supermarkets receiving their products are recording their best profits ever. Such a situation is totally unsustainable.
The plethora of amendments to the reports highlight the conflicting viewpoints on this very emotive issue. We must avoid a situation where a small number of the large Member States dictates the future shape of European agriculture at the expense of a more representative and democratic decision. The lesser regions and nations in the European Union, with endemic problems of the exodus of young people from rural communities, small family farms and less-favoured areas, should also be involved in the important decisions taking place.
The general swing now towards partial decoupling weakens what could have been a bold move on the Commission's part. It could at least have provided the mechanism for Member States, and importantly the nations and regions within them, to target support at their own priorities through national envelopes. To this end, as has been mentioned by other Members, democratic representation of regions in the Council of Ministers is vital, as well as codecision for the Committee on Agriculture.
My problem with a mixture of the current livestock support schemes and the new decoupling scheme is that it would result in an uneven playing field for many sectors and bring increased bureaucracy and more barriers for producers aiming to focus on the market. If this means people having to leave small family farms in less productive areas to find work, it risks undermining the very foundations on which these rural communities are built. I know this is a scenario that the Commissioner will be keen to avoid.
Having discussed this topic extensively with Welsh farmers, I find that what they undoubtedly want is simpler, more market-focused policies to help farms return to profitability."@en1
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