Takac: V4 Countries Still Have Several Reservations towards New CAP

Luxembourg, 26 October (TASR) - The agriculture ministers of the Visegrad Four (V4) countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) met on Monday ahead of a session of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH), with by Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) chairing their meeting, the ministry's communications department told TASR on Monday, adding that the main subject of discussion was the draft regulation on the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), towards which the V4 countries continue to have a number of reservations. Slovakia and the Czech Republic are calling for changes to the rules on capping support and the definition of the end user, so that capping is applied on a voluntary basis with sufficient flexibility for member states and, in particular, at the level of individual agricultural holdings. This should prevent unjustified reductions in support. Further demands from the V4 countries relate in particular to the financing of investments, risk management, land-use rules, social conditionality, flexibility in supporting the transition, and the possibility of continuing to provide transitional national aid. Hungary is also calling for the option to support the expansion of activities by existing producer organisations to be retained. "The V4 has a clear common interest: we want the new Common Agricultural Policy to be designed fairly, practically and without an unnecessary administrative burden on farmers. While fundamental issues remain unresolved, we cannot regard the proposal as final," said Takac. The V4 ministers agreed that the draft regulation still needs to be amended, and they'll draw up a joint statement addressed to the Irish Presidency of the AGRIFISH Council in which they'll call for a resolution to the outstanding issues. "The strength of the V4 lies precisely in our ability to coordinate our demands and support one another. What is important for Slovakia is supported by our partners, and we likewise stand behind their legitimate demands," added Takac. am/df