John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his priorities in the negotiations on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27708/11]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide an update on the latest negotiations on the Common Agricultural Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27707/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 40 together.

The CAP debate has been ongoing since 2008 in preparation for the new Multi-annual Financial Framework for the EU budget from 2014 onwards. Policy debates on the future of the CAP have taken place at meetings of the EU Agriculture Council of Ministers and these have been augmented by a vast amount of informal discussion and analysis. A Commission communication setting out broad policy options for the future CAP "The CAP towards 2020" was presented on 18 November 2010. The communication, on which conclusions were agreed by the majority of Member States last March, was the first formal step in the negotiating process. Full legislative proposals are expected from the Commission next week. The publication of the proposals will be followed by an intense and lengthy period of negotiation that is likely to fall for completion under the Irish Presidency of the EU in 2013.

Our key priorities in the CAP negotiations are:

To ensure that the negotiations on the next EU budget framework deliver a well resourced CAP;

To retain Ireland's funding both for direct payments and for rural development in any redistribution of CAP funds between Member States;

To obtain flexibility for Member States with regard to payment models and transition arrangements for distribution of single payment funds to farmers;

To ensure that rural development policy includes appropriate targeted measures to support competitiveness and sustainability and

To keep CAP processes as simple and as effective as possible and to minimise unnecessary bureaucracy for farmers and costs to the State.