Commissioner loses his cool over Brexit limbo

The EU Citizens’ Charter was a nod to democracy as part of the Lisbon Treaty, although it is unlikely the European Commission will heed any initiatives put forward.

However it is being used by special interest groups to attract publicity.

The latest petition to secure the necessary one million signatures across member states is calling for a ban on the transport of live animals.

This is targeted mainly at long distance transport, but it is a catch all campaign, known as Stop the Trucks. It has been coordinated, in terms of securing signatures, by a number of lobby organisations.

The commission will now have to formally consider the call and give reasons if it rejects it.

Meanwhile the group behind the Citizens’ Charter pressing for a blanket ban on glyphosate has said there is no reason for farming not to operate without any pesticides.

Despite the rise in the value of sterling against the euro, because of expectation the Bank of England will soon trigger an interest rate rise, farmers are still in line for an increase in the sterling value of CAP payments.

The UK has opted to have these calculated over the month of September, rather than the other option of the calculation taking place on the final trading day of the month.

As a result much of the rise in the value of sterling since the middle of the month will be offset. While the final figure will not be confirmed until the end of the month, the increase is likely to be around six per cent.

This is against what was already a good result last year.

Compared to 2015 the final figure for this year will be up by well over 20 per cent.

This confirms the weakening of sterling since the Brexit referendum has been the biggest single financial boost for UK farming, thanks to a rise in support prices and market returns.

Despite being a politician well used to the cut and thrust of Irish politics, the EU farm commissioner, Phil Hogan, has finally broken his cool over Brexit.

His ire was targeted at the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, over his comments about the need for a positive view of Brexit, the avoidance of any transition period and saving £350 million a week as a result of leaving the EU.

Hogan’s outburst was triggered by the lack of decisions about how the issue of the Irish border and trade will be resolved.

In controversial comments he claimed that within the UK cabinet, the Foreign Secretary is out of the Brexit loop.

He added that Johnson was a ‘diminished figure’ whose reputation ‘is not good’.

These were surprising comments for someone who has avoided mainstream politics during his time in Brussels, but they underline his frustration with the lack of progress.

Meanwhile COPA, the umbrella body for EU farm unions, has a new president – Joachim Rukwied from the German Farmers’ Association, DBV.

The president of the Irish farmers Association, Joe Healy, is one of six vice-presidents.

Phil Hogan, above, targeted his ire at Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.