Euro Parliament votes through Conservative CAP simplification proposals
Posted, May 18, 2010 @ 00:00
Strasbourg, 18th May 2010 . Proposals from Richard Ashworth MEP, Conservative agriculture spokesman in the European Parliament, to simplify the Common Agricultural Policy were voted through in Strasbourg today.
Mr Ashworth's report outlines the underlying principles of reform that the parliament will be pushing for in the run up to the next round of CAP reform in 2012. The principle themes are a simpler, fairer and more transparent policy, that changes the nature of the CAP . Mr Ashworth wants the policy to be driven by positive outcomes at farm level, rather than the results of burdensome regulation and bureaucracy.
In particular, the report highlights four ways with which to ease the burden on the farming industry, namely: ensuring that the requirements made of the industry are proportionate to risk; harmonising inspection standards and cutting out duplication of inspection procedures; giving greater scope to self-certification in the industry and ensuring that any penalties imposed are commensurate to the scale of the infringement.
Speaking after the vote in Strasbourg, Mr Ashworth said:
"Today we've seen the first step toward a CAP that can meet the challenges of the present as well as those of the future.
"Food security, market volatility and climate change are among the problems the CAP is facing and fundamental reform must be matched with a change in the way we apply the CAP in the future.
"A reformed CAP will have to demonstrate it can help industry adapt to these new challenges by changing its culture to one of greater flexibility, a 'lighter touch' approach and better consultation with stakeholders to assess the impact of legislation.
"My report sets out a number of ways that this can be achieved."
please see link for a interview with Richard on the European Parliament website on the simplification of CAP:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/focus_page/008-74291-127-05-19-901-20100507FCS74267-07-05-2010-2010/default_p001c007_en.htm