Memorandum submitted by the Slovak Republic
POSITION OF
THE SLOVAK
REPUBLIC CONCERNING
THE CAP REFORM
1. From the global point of view concerning
the CAP reform the Ministry of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic
appreciate the effort on reinforcement of the competitiveness
of sustainable agriculture, rural development, on CAP simplification,
its facilitation of the enlargement process and perspective of
better EU position in negotiations on agricultural trade.
2. The Ministry of Agriculture of the Slovak
Republic views positively in particularly in unification of different
direct aid schemes for the farms, establishment of quality and
food safety stimulation, animal protection, ecological service
development and the support of trade orientation.
3. Concerning the system of "dynamic
modulation" where the Candidate Countries would not be engaged
in according to present version of the CAP reform, the Slovak
Republic thinks of it as possible system how to decrease the differences
of aid in old and new Member Countries, although the time level
of unification (2013) is thought as rather far-away. The equality
among new Member States and old Member States should be reached
as soon as possible. The modulation and planned reinforcement
of the rural development policy consequences from the point of
agricultural incomes are rather unclear so far because the Ministry
of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic does not have enough experiences
from the effect of aid utilization in the area of rural development,
such as less-favoured areas and agro-environmental measures.
4. The rural development support and balanced
regional development are the universal tasks, it cannot be understood
only as agricultural aid. The European multifunctional agriculture
and rural model play the crucial role in rural development. The
rural development strategy can achieve the full advantage from
the variety of soil-climatic conditions, local traditions, local
handicrafts and know-how and at the best utilization of small
and medium farmsteads as well as less-favoured areas. It can form
an important part of added value and make contribution to new
job formation particularly in combination with local processing
units as well as with tourism and other services. It can also
cause significant multiplication effects in local economics and
society. The question of rural and regional support is not consequently
only the question of agricultural aid in the countryside. Consequently,
the support should not be subject to the size of operations.
5. We agree that the share of agricultural
sources from the EU budget would be reduced. It was the aim of
Agenda 2000 also and it was reflected in aid reduction, which
directly relate to agricultural production and in reinforcement
of environmental and other public functions of agriculture and
rural development. We believe that market should be the main force
in agricultural production.
6. The improvement of agricultural food
products quality and increasing of food safety is the necessary
criteria for next nutrition policy development in global world
economics.
7. The need of higher standards and ensuring
of quality and variety of food products is eligible. Its rate
is limited by available sources and should be limited so not harming
the market orientation. This support cannot be realized with a
prejudice to "mass" food production. The aim have to
be quality grow and food safety securing in the whole scale. Also
commercial (mass) agricultural production has to follow ecological
forms and ways of farming and to ensure the standard quality of
the products.
8. According to actual experience the organic
farming in compare with conventional farming is less intensive
(eg lower harvests, severity for human labour). Therefore its
development is unthinkable without specific demand of processors,
marketers and particularly consumers. Specific demand is formed
by income ensuring consumers who are willing to pay higher prices.
It is a new level of consumer behaviour characterized by conscious
effort to consume organic foodstuffs. Of course that organic farming
have to establish special food vertical (production, processing,
trade), q v long-term task demanding for investment.
9. The Slovak Republic from the beginning
has endorsed the draft of the CAP reform and has been in favour
of the most intensive enforcement of its principles including
decoupling and simplification. Despite the draft changes proceed
during negotiations among Member Countries the Slovak Republic
considers approved CAP reform as a good compromise. It can be
a good beginning for the next prospective changes in the future.
The Slovak Republic
December 2003
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