Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

With regard to timing, the Commission is expected to issue a formal communication later this year. Prior to the formation of the new Commission, it was expected during the time of Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel that the communication would issue in the middle of this year. However, the Commission was delayed in being established by a number of months. It was expected to take office in the middle of November but it took office on 15 February, therefore, the timeline has been delayed by a few months. Therefore, we are talking about having a formal communication from the Commission later this year. The formal legal text will follow in mid-2011. Based on previous negotiations, we can be certain that those communications will not be issued in advance of the expected deadlines. They generally run much later.

With regard to the discussions to date, the last four EU Presidencies have held policy debates on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy. France had a general discussion in September 2008 on policy orientation. The Czech Republic focused on the single payment issues, while Sweden dealt with rural development. Meanwhile, Spain - the current holders of the Presidency, up to the end of June - dealt with market management.

Ireland has been active in all the negotiations. In mid-December 2009, we were one of the leading members in putting together a group of 22 member states who signed a declaration in Paris. At that time, we outlined our determination to ensure that the CAP would be adequately resourced. In the meantime, I have had several bilateral discussions with other agriculture Ministers. There will be an important official meeting to discuss those issues in my Department tomorrow, featuring the most senior civil servants from five member states.

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