Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-02-13-Speech-2-294"
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"en.20070213.20.2-294"2
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"Madam President, I fully support the rapporteur in rejecting these proposals. In effect, these proposals would mean the transfer of 20 % of funds from direct payments and market support of the CAP to rural development.
I fully support investment in rural development; indeed, I think it is crucial if rural areas are to contribute to the Lisbon Agenda. But this investment cannot come out of the pockets of farmers.
Commissioner, you said earlier tonight that you were afraid of the dangers to rural development if we reject this proposal. But what of the dangers to agriculture if this proposal were to proceed? And, speaking of the pockets of farmers, this proposal would be a drastic cut in some farmers’ incomes. If we take the initial amount of the direct payments to farmers at 100 %, take away 5 % for compulsory modulation, a further 8 % approximately for the accession of Romania and Bulgaria – who are in no way responsible for the fact that we did not make proper funding provision – and if you are then to take a further 20 % for voluntary modulation, those farmers will have lost approximately 33 %, – one third – of their income as was promised in the CAP reform.
But this is not just about money. Voluntary modulation as proposed would distort competition between Member States. It would, in effect, be a renationalisation of the CAP and, in my opinion, jeopardise the security of food production in the EU.
Commissioner, I know we both agree that agriculture needs stability. When you came to the Irish Parliament last year you said, ‘I wish to give farmers in Ireland and the rest of the EU as much stability as possible’. But this is a difficult and uncertain time for farmers. If they were just to listen to today’s debates in Parliament, with Commissioner Mandelson speaking earlier of further flexibility in the context of the WTO and, tonight, the possibility of the renationalisation of CAP, they would be even more uncertain.
This House and European farmers are relying on the Commission to support them on this issue. You told us that you know and understand our concerns. Those concerns have been articulated very clearly here tonight and we await a positive response."@en1
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