Common Agricultural Policy

Resolved that the Committee takes note of European Union Documents No. 15396/11, relating to a draft Regulation establishing rules for direct payments for farmers under support schemes within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy, No. 15425/11, relating to a draft Regulation on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and No. 15688/11, relating to a Commission Staff Working Paper: Executive Summary of the Impact Assessment-Common Agricultural Policy Towards 2020; and supports the Government’s view that fundamental change to much of the Commission’s regulatory proposals is required to deliver the legislative basis necessary to support an innovative, competitive and marked-orientated farming industry, genuine additional environmental, biodiversity and climate change benefits and strong, viable rural communities in a sufficiently simple manner to allow effective implementation by paying agencies and farmers.