Lyon still hopeful of deal over CAP reform report

ALTHOUGH fellow MEPs have tabled a staggering 782 amendments to his report on the future role of the Common Agricultural Policy, George Lyon was still upbeat that the main principles he had laid down would emerge in the final document .

Speaking yesterday after the first of four weeks of negotiations, Lyon said he would be concentrating on getting compromises that would strengthen the report and set out a clear agenda for the reform of the CAP.

"There was widespread support from across the political groups for the proposals set out in my report which seeks to make the CAP fairer, greener and more sustainable," he said.

"There are, however, still areas where clear differences exist such as whether to re-regulate the markets and bring back milk quotas."

These calls for more market intervention come from politicians on both the right and left wings of the European Parliament.

"For some there is also the desire to go beyond 2020 for phasing in the move from historic to area-based payments. In addition, it is obvious there are big differences on the criteria to be used for distribution of single farm payments to member states."

The EU agricultural committee's wheeling and dealing will come to a conclusion on 15 June and this will be followed by a final vote by the full parliament in the plenary session starting on 5 July.

After that both the agricultural commissioner and Council of Ministers will have to come to a position on the reforms.