NFU sets out ‘Health Check’ priorities

Apr 17 2008 by Sam Wood, The Journal

NATIONAL FARMING Union Deputy President Meurig Raymond visited the European Parliament last week to set out the NFU’s priorities for the ‘Health Check’ of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

The European Parliament will play a key role in influencing the final shape of any changes that are decided by Europe’s farming ministers.

As part of a series of meetings with key MEPs, Mr Raymond met the Parliament’s ‘rapporteur’ on the Health Check, Portuguese MEP Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos. Speaking after the meeting, Mr Raymond said: “The health check represents an important opportunity to bring some much needed simplification and uniformity to the CAP.

“While the last reforms in 2003 made a number of positive changes, they did allow for some distortions ... The European Parliament’s opinion on the health check is likely to be very influential.”

Mr Capoulas Santos said: “I look forward to the contribution from British farmers, which I hope can constitute a positive input to a balanced compromise solution amidst the different standpoints in the European Parliament.”