COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY MEPs review state of play in three-way talks on CAP reform

摘要

Following the first round of three-way negotiations, which were launched on 11 April, MEPs expressed their confidence that a political agreement on the refonn of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) can be reached the end of June as planned the Irish Presidency. At the 24 April meeting of the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture (AGRI), the rapporteurs admitted, however, that the list of "divisive issues" between the three institutions remains long. Briefing the committee members on the state of play in talks on the draft direct payments regulation, Luis Manuel Capou-las Santos (S&D, Portugal) said that an"agreement was reached in principle" on definitions and the scope of application (Articles 1,2 and 4) and on the small farmers scheme. He also reported that the institutions "moved closer" to a compromise on the transition from the Single Area Payment Scheme (SAPS) - an issue strongly pushed the new member states.