A Vision for a reformed Common Agricultural Policy

Launching their joint paper, A Vision for Common Agricultural Policy, Gordon Brown and Margaret Beckett made the following statement:

"Over the next two weeks the world will see important discussions on trade.

In our view the trade round could bring wide-scale benefits to all economies, developed and developing, and contribute to the economic reform agenda.

As recently acknowledged by the Secretary General of the WTO, Pascal Lamy, at the heart of the discussion is the future of agriculture protectionism.

On that Britain has long argued that we need to have a long-term view of agricultural policy in our own countries.

The paper which we have published contributes to the debate already underway on how to achieve a sustainable future for agriculture and helps answer those who have asked what the UK Government means when it calls for further CAP reform.

As part of the current discussions on trade liberalisation and future EU expenditure, we have presented for debate a vision for what a sustainable model of European agriculture might look like in the future to benefit Europe and the rest of the world.

We have not set out a route map for getting there. That must be the subject of inclusive debate across Europe and achieved through a carefully planned process and to a manageable timescale.

Through the modernised European agriculture policy set out in this paper, we believe we can achieve the following goals:

• Society can contribute less financially to agriculture but reap much greater benefits.
• Consumers can have a secure supply of cheaper, safe, high quality food.
• Developing countries can achieve significant economic growth.
• Farmers in Europe can become more competitive and market focused.
• The rural environment can be improved.
• Rural development can be boosted, particularly in some of the poorest parts of the European Union.

We look forward to engaging in constructive discussion.

And it is because we believe that, through reform, there can be progress on trade, we continue to argue for an ambitious and balanced outcome to the Hong Kong meetings."

To view the joint paper click here.