"A simple CAP for Europe – a challenge for all"

Conference on the simplification of the Common Agricultural Policy
organised by the European Commission
Brussels, 3-4 October 2006

Since its introduction the Common Agricultural Policy has developed into a comprehensive legal framework for European agriculture. The role of the CAP is to provide a common set of over arching rules whilst recognising differences between EU Member States. Over time the CAP became more and more complex in certain areas. The complexity of certain rules could jeopardise the sound application of the policy. It also makes it more difficult to ensure sound expenditure of EU funds and this has also played a part diminishing public understanding of CAP measures.

Given the increasing importance accorded to the overall concept of better regulation at national as well as EU level, the Commission's Directorate-general for Agriculture and Rural Development has stepped up its efforts to simplify the CAP. In this context a conference was organised on the simplification of the CAP in Brussels on 3-4 October 2006.

The aim of the conference was to focus on the views and needs of stakeholders, in particular farmers and to disseminate information on the Commission's activities in the areas of simplification and better regulation. The conference provided the opportunity for an exchange of views, presented ideas for simplification and discussion on possible simplification approaches. By bringing together different NGOs, farmers' organisations, academics, Member States, third countries and EU institutions, the conference opened up a dialogue on the particular role of each stakeholder in overcoming the challenges and obstacles facing simplification efforts in the area of agriculture.

Press release - also available in

 
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

Tuesday 3 October 2006

Morning session

Chairman: Dirk Ahner, Deputy Director General, Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission

• "Simplification of the CAP, meeting the challenge"
  Mariann Fischer Boel, Member of the European Commission responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development [slide show in pdf]
  

• "Simplification/Better Regulation – the Commission framework"
  Günter Verheugen, Member of the European Commission responsible for Enterprise and Industry

• "Simplification of the CAP, a view from the Presidency"
  Juha Korkeaoja, Finnish Minister for Agriculture and Forestry [pdf]

• "Simplification of the CAP, a view from COPA-COGECA"
  Rudolf Schwarzböck, President COPA-COGECA

• "Better Regulation and Simplification of the CAP – ways forward on a difficult path"
  Rudolf Streinz, University of München

• "Simplification of the CAP, a view from the EU Parliament"
  Joseph Daul, Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural development of the European Parliament

• "Commission's ideas for CAP simplification – Action Plan"
  Jean-Luc Demarty, Director General, Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission [pdf ]

Discussion

Afternoon session: 3 simultaneous workshops
 

Workshop 1: "Policy making and Simplification"

Chairman: Guy Legras, Former Director General, Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission

Rapporteur: Franz-Josef Feiter, COPA-COGECA

• "Better Regulation and Simplification"
  Michel Ayral, Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry of the European Commission [slide show in pdf]

• "Impact assessment: an effective tool for the Simplification of CAP?"
  Lars Mitek Pedersen, Secretariat General of the European Commission [slide show in pdf]

• "Better regulation practices"
  Edward Donelan, OECD [slide show in pdf]
  Dominic Mancini, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, US Government [slide show in pdf]

• "CAP reforms and Simplification: a success story?"
  Nanette van Schelven, Dutch Ministry for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality [slide show in pdf]
  Joop de Koeijer, Dutch farmer [pdf]

Workshop 2: "Administrative burdens related to CAP measures"

Chairman: Fernando Miranda Sotillos, President of FEGA; Spanish Paying Agency

Rapporteur: Hervé Guyomard, INRA

• "EU method for assessing administrative costs"
  Eric Philippart, Secretariat General of the European Commission [slide show in pdf]

• "DG Agriculture and Rural Development study on administrative burdens related to the Single Payment Scheme"
  Valérie Adam, Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission [slide show in ppt]

• "Member States' approaches to measuring and reducing administrative costs related to CAP measures"
  Jenny McInnes, UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [slide show in pdf]
  Frédéric Gueudar Delahaye, French Ministry for Agriculture and Fisheries [slide show in pdf]
  Jens Hauge Pedersen, Danish Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries [slide show in pdf]

Workshop 3: "Simplification of the CAP: stakeholder's views"

Chairman: Mairead McGuinness, Member of the European Parliament

Rapporteur: Aivars Lapins, Latvian Ministry of Agriculture

• "Farmers' views"
  Michael Edvard Hornborg, COPA-COGECA  [pdf] [slide show in pdf]

• "Traders' views"
  Chantal Fauth, COCERAL [slide show in pdf]

• "National Administrations' views
  Ferenc Nyujtó, Hungarian Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development
  Katrin Noorkoiv, ARIB; Estonian Paying Agency [slide show in pdf]

• "Financial Controllers' views"
  Walter Hubl, European Court of Auditors [slide show in pdf]

• "Addressing the stakeholders' views"
  Klaus-Dieter Borchardt, Cabinet of Mrs Fischer Boel

Wednesday 4 October 2006

Opening remarks by the Chairman

• Report of Workshop 1
  Franz-Josef Feiter, COPA-COGECA

• Report of Workshop 2
  Hervé Guyomard, INRA [slide show in pdf]

• Report of Workshop 3
  Aivars Lapins, Latvian Ministry of Agriculture [slide show in pdf]

Panel Discussion: "Simplification of the CAP, a challenge for all"

Jean-Michel Aspar, COCERAL

Jean-Luc Demarty, Director General, Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission

Franz-Josef Feiter, COPA-COGECA

Jan Mulder, Member of the European Parliament

Roger Waite, Editor Agrafacts

Conclusions and perspective
Dirk Ahner, Deputy Director General, Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission [pdf]

Closing address
Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel [pdf]



 

For more information visit the chapter Simplifying the CAP.