Future of CAP budget faces first hurdle

THE EU’s post-2020 farm budget will come under pressure tomorrow as EU Commissioners hold their first official debate on the bloc’s future spending plans.

With Brexit estimated to blow a €14bn a year hole in the EU budget, and the bloc keen to boost spending on migration, defence and social benefits, agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan will likely have to mount a robust defence of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

But he will have Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on his side, who last week defended farming and regional spending against what he called uninformed “attacks”.

He urged governments to “focus on content” rather than figures, and said the bloc would make “sensible savings” rather than swingeing cuts.

“We cannot continue to live within the current budgetary straitjacket,” Mr Juncker said. “We need to make real savings, but sensible savings.”

“I want to speak out against this stupid, poorly thought-through attitude where we need to mount a full attack on cohesion policy and the CAP,” Mr Juncker said. “The Commission will not follow that course, but sensible savings can be made.”

EU budget commissioner Günther Oettinger has called on member states to increase their budget contributions after Brexit. The Taoiseach last month pledged more money as long as CAP spending is ringfenced.

But budget hawks including the Netherlands and Denmark are keen to limit CAP spending.

France and Germany are preparing a joint position paper on the future of the CAP, while Spain is drawing up its own analysis, agriculture minister Isabel García Tejerina said.