For the record, main points in the CAP Health Check are:
o Compulsory modulation will increase from 5 to 10% by 2013.
o Progressive modulation will only apply to claim amounts over €300,000 at a rate of 4%.
o Dairy quotas will be increased by 1% each year until 2013. Changes to the rules on butterfat content will result in some Member States benefiting from higher quota increases.
o Compulsory set aside is to be removed from next year.
o Member States can shave off 10% of their SFP – known as Article 68 - to target specific areas/issues.
o Unspent Single Payment Scheme funds can be used on Article 68 measures and rural development measures.
Much needed GM soya on track for approval by the end of the year
Roundup Ready 2 soya passed through the Agriculture Council last week with no clear majority for or against its approval. This is not unusual as no GM variety has ever received a clear majority either way. As a result of the outcome at Council the Commission can now approve the soya variety for importation into the EU. This could be as early as the 5 December.
WTO negotiations
get a kick start
After the G20 meeting in Washington earlier in the month there is a new drive amongst world leaders to move forward with the WTO negotiations and get a deal by the end of the year.
The theory is that a new trade deal could help a flagging world economy. The talks collapsed in July and there has been little progress since then on agriculture issues.
Meetings are being held this week but according to reports there is little movement on the positions of the various delegations.
Depending on the outcome of these meetings a mini Ministerial may be held on December 10.