CAP reform going nowhere: “minor changes” proposed – UK defeated over plans to abolish subsidies
20 May 2008
Several papers look at the Commission’s review of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, to be published today. The Mail notes that Gordon Brown is facing defeat on fundamental reform of the system of subsidies to farmers, and that an earlier UK-backed version of the proposal has now been watered down. Open Europe’s Neil O'Brien is quoted saying, "Tony Blair gave away £7billion of British taxpayers' money in return for nothing but a promise to review the CAP. And now the review says we will have to keep pouring money down the CAP drain for decades to come. It's pathetic." The Today Programme reports that UK Agriculture Minister Hilary Benn had pushed for phasing out direct subsidies to farmers altogether – a proposal Commissioner Marianne Fischer Boel called “impossible”.
The IHT notes that the Commission’s proposal contains “minor changes” to the subsidy system, including abolishing so-called set-aside - which requires some land to be kept out of production – and a subsidy of €45 per hectare given to farmers to grow crops for biofuels. The proposal also includes increased milk quotas and a cap on subsidies to large farms. The Times notes that environmental groups in the UK worry that environmental benefits will be lost as a consequence of the abolishment of set-aside.
As predicted, despite the global surge in food prices, France and Germany announced they will block any move towards agricultural liberalisation. French Agriculture Minister, Michel Barnier, said, "The solution to the crisis is not, first of all, through free trade," adding that the CAP should be exported to other parts of the world such as Africa in order to guarantee food security. Deutsche Welle quotes Germany's Agriculture Minister, Horst Seehofer as saying, “We have to make sure that we can provide this continent with food sustainability. This cannot be done by taking away subsidies from European farmers." The CAP budget for 2008 is €54, up from €42billion in 2001.
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Brown forced to do a deal with unions on temps' rights to pre-empt EU action
The Guardian reports that new rights for temporary and agency workers will be secured under a new union-business deal that is expected this week, possibly as early as tomorrow. The aim will be to give temporary and agency workers equivalent pro-rata pay and conditions to those of full time workers. The article notes that this deal “is needed in time to ensure that Britain can win EU agreement to opt-out of a directive on agency workers that is being prepared by Slovenia, the union's current president. Britain would like an opt-out in time for the EU heads of government meeting in Brussels next month.” Britain is unlikely to be able to block the EU-level measure on temporary workers.
Sources told the paper that the agreement would cover workers who had been in continuous employment for 12 weeks. The current EU draft directive proposes six weeks.
Speaker to launch EU treaty counter-challenge against Wheeler
The Telegraph reports that Commons Speaker Michael Martin is set to launch a legal counter-challenge to Stuart Wheeler's attempt to force a referendum on the EU Constitution. Martin is said to believe that Wheeler is attempting to override the will of Parliament. The legal challenge was also mentioned in the Metro. Stuart Wheeler argued on the Today programme that he was not attempting to overrule the will of the Commons, rather it was the Government's decision to break its promise of a referendum which was unlawful.
UK Government draws up “Big brother” legislation to implement EU law
The Home Office is set to create a database to store the details of every phone call made, every email sent and every web page visited by British citizens in the previous year under plans currently under discussion. The front page of the Times notes that the proposal has emerged as part of plans to implement an EU directive developed after the July 7 bombings to bring uniformity of record-keeping.
Stephens: Miliband has dismantled UK's role as bridge between US and EU
Looking at transatlantic relations in the FT, Philip Stephens argues that David Miliband "has quietly dismantled the fabled 'bridge' - the enduring conceit of British Prime Ministers which cast them as self-appointed intermediaries between Washington and the rest of Europe... The Foreign Secretary still insists that Britain's ties with the US represent its most important bilateral relationship. But special or otherwise, the relationship now sits alongside Mr Miliband's explicit recognition that Britain is actually 'part' of Europe."
Also in the FT, Gideon Rachman argues that EU politicians "are forever swearing to turn a united Europe into a new superpower. But European citizens seem unconvinced... Irrelevance is not particularly dignified or noble. But it could still be the logical choice for Europe."
PA reports that more than 100,000 children of A8 families are now receiving child benefit. There have also been 24,850 applications for income-related benefits such as Jobseekers Allowance and Income Support by the new A8 residents in the UK, of which 19,000 were rejected and 5,818 allowed to proceed.
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Sarkozy turns back on reform
The French Government appears to have shied away from scrapping the 35 hour week, despite Sarkozy’s previous view of the law as a disaster. UMP leader Patrick Devedjian announced Monday that his party was "forcefully requesting the definitive dismantlement of the 35-hour week". He was contradicted however by Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand who said "We have to keep the legal 35-hour limit". Sarkozy has backed Bertrand in the dispute.
Le Figaro reports that the UK will this week announce the construction of two aircraft carriers, irrespective of the decision of Paris on France’s own proposed new carrier programme.
The FT looks at how the EU is putting off decisions on controversial issues such as farm reform until after the Irish referendum on 12 June.
A leader in the Telegraph argues “To give Gordon Brown credit where credit's due, his instinctive hostility to the euro has paid dividends. Had we been party to the ECB's interest rates, our credit bubble would have been larger and we would now be in an even more parlous state.”
EUobserver looks at the growing tensions between the Spanish and Italian governments over Italy's treatment of its Roma population.
World
Berlin’s rules of engagement prevent German forces from killing Taliban bomber
A Taliban commander has escaped from German special forces in Afghanistan because German troops in the country are not allowed to shoot, except in self-defence. The commander is said to have killed 79 people last year in a single bombing in Baghlan, as well as organising attacks on British military convoys, causing deaths. A German Defence Ministry official said the incident would not change Berlin's policy of the “principle of proportionality”. He added: “A fugitive like the Baghlan bomber is not an aggressor and should not be shot unless in self-defence.”
One British Special Forces source said: “This is very embarrassing, particularly for the soldiers on the ground who are very professional and dedicated men, but they know they must obey the orders of their government. The blame here lies with the politicians, not the men on the ground.” An “incredulous” British officer in Kabul said: “The Germans are allowing the most dangerous people to get away and increasing the danger for the Afghans and all foreign forces here.”
UK
Conservatives plan for Government
The front page of the FT reports that David Cameron has commissioned two alternative action plans for a Conservative Government, one for if he wins by a landslide and another if he wins by a small majority. The paper also notes that the Conservative Party has significant "policy gaps" over what it would do if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified.
A Guardian/ICM poll puts the Conservatives on 41%, Labour on 27%, and the Lib Dems on 22%. The result is the worst for Labour since May 1987.