Atilla Lengyel
DG Agriculture called stakeholders for contribution to the Common Agriculture Policy post 2013 reform. This will determine the Rural Development Programmes, one of the main community instrument providing funds for forest related activities in rural areas. It is therefore of crucial interest to most forest owners in Europe.
On the last day of the CAP reform’s public debate DG Agriculture gathered an extended Advisory Group on CAP post 2013 to open up the series of meetings in the preparation process of a new CAP. On 3rd of June some 100 experts from over 20 organisations took part in the meeting, a vast majority representing the agricultural and food processing businesses. Mr Dacian Ciolos, commissioner for agriculture and rural development, addressed the forum, expressing confidence in a strong but reformed CAP post 2013. There was also a common understanding that the CAP should contribute to the EU 2020 Strategy and deliver on far more than its direct traditional values of food security and quality food production. It is also expected to address the challenges identified in the CAP health check, namely in the area of climate change mitigation, renewable energies, water management and biodiversity. For most of the participants the CAP has been addressed as the last 50 years’ most successful EU policy.

The agricultural lobbyists expressed, however, that their business has major challenges by an opening income gap between the agricultural and other sectors. Respectively, the price fluctuation due to the economic crisis and the EU market being open to cheap external products needs to be addressed by the CAP post 2013. Overall, the participants claimed for more market management and more efficient and transparent use of the financial means linked to the CAP, which is the largest EU budget.

The rural development issue received many claims for a higher share within the CAP. This would require changes and a more complex understanding of what is rural economy and society. Agricultural production needs to be amended by other options.

The tone of the concrete proposal described a need to reform the single farm driven direct payments. Environmental and consumer organisations claimed for much more efficiency beyond 2013. Concerns were raised also in connection on certain European agricultural practices, even though they might have an overall leading position in the world in many aspects at current, such as food or production standards. A heated discussion took place in the second part of the meeting on these issues.
CEPF brought up forestry issues to this strikingly farming and agro business dominated discussion. This included promotion of sustainable forest management in rural areas. We also claimed for more representation from the forestry sector in the CAP reform process. A stronger role of forestry measures by separation from the agricultural ones was also brought up into discussion. Mr. Fernando Molina, CEPF expert in the round, stressed the positive effect of forestry activities and a potential contribution of the forest owners in meeting the CAP challenges of the future. Mr. Molina called for more rationality of fund distribution, taking into consideration the high share of forests as land use form in rural areas and the large number of forest owners in Europe. They need to be part of the CAP beyond 2013 more than ever.
Please consult also the CEPF position papers of the CAP reform and rural development strategy issues