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Minister for Agriculture Food & Marine Michael Creed T.D., has today (Monday) welcomed the support of the German Ministry for Agriculture for the maintenance of the CAP budget.

Speaking after today’s Council of Agriculture Ministers in Brussels, Minister Creed said

I warmly welcome this significant intervention by the German Agriculture Ministry in the debate surrounding the proposed Budget for the CAP post 2020. I have been working with Ministerial colleagues for months now across the EU in an attempt to build consensus amongst Member States for the importance of securing the CAP budget. Having met with the German State Secretary for Food & Agriculture, Dr Hermann Aeikens, this morning I’m extremely pleased to note that the position of the German Ministry is now, that they refuse the proposal to cut the CAP Budget.

The German position is outlined in a joint statement prepared by Germany and France and further builds on the Madrid declaration, as supported by 20 EU Member States, all calling for the protection of the CAP budget.

The Council of Agriculture Ministers today discussed the post CAP 2020 proposals in more detail, specifically in the areas of subsidiarity and simplification. Addressing Council Minister Creed said “I welcome the fact that an effort has been made to introduce greater subsidiarity in the proposals. Striking the right balance is difficult, especially for key policy that is common across the European Union, and also because of the complex nature of the CAP. In the main Ireland considers that the Commission has struck a reasonable balance.

Expressing concerns with regard to areas where Member States are given some latitude, but where discretion is circumscribed by text, the Minister continued “I have previously referred to the definition of the ‘genuine farmer’. I fear that the definition proposed, and the prospect of income tests or an assessment of Labour inputs on farm, will lead to significant operational difficulties and further complication, rather than simplification.”

Minister Creed also called for the Commission to have an open mind in terms of making financial support available to drought affected Countries making reference to the difficulties faced in Ireland in recent weeks.