During the meeting Juraj Chmiel, Czech deputy minister of agriculture and György Czerván, director of agricultural economy reviewed the most important issues about CAP’s future.

The two parties agreed that the EU’s agricultural budget should not decrease and it should stay on the present level even after 2013. The two politicians concluded that there is no joint agreement among the member states concerning the upper limit of greater agricultural farms or about the utilization of support above the limit.

It would be advantageous for both countries if the greening of CAP were to be organized in the second pillar of rural development and that it should not contribute to stricter bureaucratic rules for the farmers.

According to the parties the goal is the more precise use of the existing laws in the EU and not necessarily to create new ones. This applies to the introduction of the term “active farmer”.

The Czech Republic, just like Hungary, is urging the support of small and middle-sized companies.

Decreasing the insecurity of producers is a common European goal therefore this issue should be handled within the framework of the EU, stressed the two agrarian politicians.

Juraj Chmiel agreed with the Hungarian intention that it is necessary to establish a common European fund to avoid natural disasters like the one last year and to decrease risk factors.

At the end of the meeting the Czech deputy minister of agriculture read out the Czech republic’s agricultural and environmental protection program since the Czech republic will be presiding over the V4 countries in the second half of 2011.

(Ministry of Rural Development, Press Office)