Within the European Union, Hungary has proposed that the sugar quota system, which according to current plans may be terminated in 2015, be extended until at least 2020 – announced State Secretary for Agricultural Economy and leader of the Hungarian delegation György Czerván in Brussels following the Monday meeting of EU Agricultural Ministers.

The proposal was supported by more than ten member states, including France and Germany. Some member states, such as Great Britain, are against the extension.

The Hungarian delegation also requested that Hungary, which at present is only capable of producing one third of its sugar consumption, be allowed to increase its production on the quota-controlled market, and that the minimum price associated with the quota also remain in force. According to the proposal, further expert analysis of the issue is required, a fact which was accepted by the council of member states – said the State Secretary for Agricultural Economy.

The Agriculture Ministers also discussed the proposed reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. During these discussion, György Czerván welcomed the fact that the proposed reforms deal especially with the improvement of the position of young farmers and small farms, but made several proposals for changes to the plan. He drew attention to the fact that the 25-hectare upper limit for funding must be increased in the case of young farmers, and that in order to create viable farms, resources must reach 2 percent of direct funding according to the plan.

At the press conference, the State Secretary emphasised that he had held separate talks with the president of the European Young Farmers' Association (CEJA), Joris Baecke. Both parties agreed that it was important that not jus young, entrant farmers be included among those applicable for additional support, but that all farmers within the younger age group (under 40) should be included. In Hungary, the proportion of farmers who fall within this category is 6-7 percent, added György Czerván.

While taking the floor with regard to the reform package, the State Secretary welcomed the fact that, in future, ten percent of direct support payments may be given to farmers in view of production, providing a continued opportunity for the support of sectors that are regarded as being more sensitive. However, he also stressed that measures must be suitably flexible for member states to be able to take into account their unique national attributes and agricultural political goals.

György Czerván also drew attention to the fact that 87 percent of Hungarian farmers will incur additional expenses to conform to stricter environmental regulations. Hungary would not like to see farmers have to deal with increased administrative burdens and decreased income as a result of these measures. For this reason, it is unacceptable that in the case of repeated non-compliance with such requirements, farmers would not only lose their eligibility for 30 percent green support, but their level of basic support would also fall.

The State Secretary confirmed that Hungary agrees, the agricultural budget and the level of direct support funding should remain at the current level. He also agreed with the proposals made regarding the more equitable distribution of support, and the diminishing of disproportionateness between member states.

The agenda in Brussels also included discussion on the legislation that proscribes the use of new, enriched poultry cages for laying hens from January 1 of next year, in accordance with new regulations. The introduction of the directive is hindered by the fact that currently 51 million laying hens in 11 member states are still kept in conventional cages (including around one million in Hungary).

The European Commission has announced that it recommends a two-month transitional period for farmers who are unable to conform to new regulation by the beginning of next year, with eggs derived from laying hens not kept in cages that conform to the next regulations able to be used for industrial applications (production of liquid eggs or egg powder) during that time. György Czerván indicated that Hungary would have found it more appropriate if such eggs could also be used as food in their unprocessed state. Hungary has launched a 3 Billion Forint tender to help farmers switch to the new cages, from which funds are still available.

During the debate, several countries repeated their concerns that the new regulations may lead to temporary egg shortages within the EU, which in turn may result in cheap eggs flooding the market from countries in which laying hens are kept in worse cages that those prescribed by the European Union.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)