It is in the definite interests of Hungary that the current system of agricultural support remain in place after 2014, and that agriculture should occupy a central position in the politics of the European Union – stressed the participants of the conference held on Tuesday in Budapest entitled the Future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2013.

Zsolt Feldman, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development, drew attention to increasingly strong global competition, the importance of conservation and the relatively cramped room for manoeuvre resulting from the economic crisis. He also pointed out that, typically, there is an increasing shortage of professionals in the agricultural sector, the black market is relatively prevalent, and there is also a lack of interest with regard to value-generating work.

He also spoke of the fact that the price scissor of agricultural products in Hungary had improved considerably during the first half of 2011, which went hand-in-hand with a favourable agricultural export-import trend. Zsolt Feldman told those present that 591 billion HUF of support funding is available to Hungary in 2011, of which 302 billion is area-related support. Hungary's situation among the member states will remain unchanged within the framework of the system that is due to be adopted in 2014 – he added.

"The level of support must not decrease"

László Vajda, representing the Department of International Relations of the Ministry of Rural Development, noted that the final decision on the Common Agricultural Policy is expected to be brought towards the end of 2012 or in early 2013. Hungary's position is that there must be a strong CAP, one of the elements of which is that the level of support must not decrease from the current level after 2014 – he added. He made a similar statement with regard to direct support payments.

According to his expert opinion, the contents of greening regulations still need to be reviewed; the proposal is not flexible enough and increases the administrative burden of farmers. As Vajda sees it, young farmers are eligible for extra support, and he welcomes the goals of the Commission in this area. The representative of the Department of International Affairs is also in favour of the fact that in future, the Union plans to handle rural development goals together with fisheries issues.

Diversity must be preserved

According to Marcella Bucca from the European Parliament, problems began arising with regard to the Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) from as early as the 1970s, which lead among others to overproduction and financial unsustainability. She called the process of reform begun in 2000, which dealt with rural development and agriculture as a single unit, outstanding.

From 2013, the Common Agricultural Policy needs to be drawn up for 27 member states, and it should not be overly regulates, but instead must be shaped to suit requirements – she added. "By 2020 we must have an agricultural system that provides greater food safety, sustainable production, and enables the preservation of the diversity of rural areas." Ms. Bucca pointed out that two pillars of the CAP, which are made up of direct payments and rural development goals, will remain in place after 2013.

Possible budget of 371 billion Euros

The Hungarian Presidency of the European Union took an especially active part in the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy – said Antonella Zona, European Commission Director General for Agriculture and Rural Development. The goal of the Commission is not to provide farmers with a fixed income, it would rather retain a level of flexibility – she added. The simplification of the whole system remains on the agenda, but this is not at all a simple task – was her expert opinion. According to the Commission's proposal, a budget of 371 billion Euros may be available to the CAP for the period 2014-2020.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)