Allister raises Modulation concerns with Commissioner
26 June 2008
On the agenda at a meeting of the European Parliament’s Agriculture committee this week, was CAP support schemes for farmers. Ulster MEP Jim Allister took the opportunity to bring a number of matters to Commissioner Fischer Boel’s attention.
The Traditional Unionist MEP said,
“Firstly, as part of the CAP Health Check proposals, the Commission has declared its intention to increase the rate of compulsory modulation by an extra 8%, over and above the current fixed 5% rate, to 2013. The Commission has declared its desire to see the extra funds taken from farmers’ single farm payments to be used to tackle climate change, water management and biodiversity.”
“I raised the particular difficulties this proposed increase could create for Northern Ireland, where our Rural Development Programme already relies heavily on additional voluntary modulation. While any increase in the rate of compulsory modulation is to be mirrored by a similar reduction in voluntary modulation under the franchise rule, the first 5000 Euros of Compulsory modulation is exempt from modulation deductions, unlike voluntary modulation.”
“I have asked the Commissioner for her assurance that no further deductions from SFP’s will be required to pay for what are being termed ‘new environmental priorities’ as set out under the Health Check proposals. Meanwhile, DARD must also work to ensure local farmers’ direct payments are safeguarded in the outworking of this situation.”
“Secondly, I highlighted the absence of any Milk Fund Restructuring Programme in the Commission’s support schemes for farmers. As part of the Mini Milk Package discussions in 2007, suggestions had been made to divert fairly substantial budgetary savings into creating enhanced support schemes for farmers to assist with the ‘soft landing’ process. When I put this to the Commissioner, regrettably she stated that there will be no such restructuring programme.”
“The Commission must come up with a solution to avert what is a potential funding crisis for the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme”.
ENDS
