9 The role of the UK government
129. During the UK Presidency of the EU, which runs
until the end of 2005, UK Government Ministers will play two roles.
Margaret Beckett, as Secretary of State, chairs the Council meetings
of Agricultural Ministers, while the UK will still be represented
at those meetings by another Minister (for instance, Ben Bradshaw
was in the UK seat for the agriculture items on 25 October). Defra
will also chair official-level meetings. David Hunter, Defra's
director of EU and International Policy, recently described how
the UK Presidency would affect his role, as he takes up the chair
of the EU's Special Committee on Agriculture. "As spokesman,
you have the UK interest at the front of your mind … As chair,
you are trying to steer the Member States towards a consensus.
It's rather like switching from a seat in the band to a place
on the conductor's podium".[200]
130. Clearly, it is of great importance that the
Government uses its Presidency to achieve agreement on the vexed
issue of sugar reform. But some witnesses were concerned that
the UK's presidency role would mean it had to focus more of its
attention on building a consensus amongst other Member States,
rather than pursuing the UK's national interests.[201]
Lord Bach sought to re-assure us on this point:
There are comments by people who obviously believe
that holding the Presidency may inhibit the extent to which we
can argue a national UK case. We believe this is based on some
sort of misunderstanding. We are perfectly entitled to put our
views from the UK seat … in the same way that other Member
States do from theirs. The difference is that the Chair of the
Council has obligations as to the conduct of the debate and the
need to seek consensus round the table … I would argue that
that is absolutely consistent with our position both as President
and as an individual Member State of the EU.[202]
The Secretary of State, Margaret Beckett, also assured
us that the concerns of the UK stakeholders were "not being
ignored" and were being "raised in the proper way".
She also confirmed that the UK had had a trilateral discussion
with the Presidency and the Commission, at official level, and
that she expected the relevant UK Minister to continue such discussions
at the November Agriculture Council.[203]
Lord Bach added that one disadvantage of the Presidency role was
that the Government concerned could not be quite as forthcoming
as it might like to be in public about its position on negotiations.[204]
Our conclusions
131. Defra
Ministers have a difficult hand to play in the negotiations over
reform of the EU sugar regime, seeking to achieve consensus while
ensuring the UK's interests are accommodated. We were pleased
to hear from the Secretary of State that the UK's presidency will
not inhibit UK Ministers from pursuing the UK's national interests
in the negotiations. We hope that the UK representatives will
take fullest advantage of the opportunities provided by meetings
with the Presidency and the Commission to put forward the concerns
of the UK sugar industry and producers.
132. We hope
that, in its role as President, the UK Government will use all
its efforts to achieve agreement. The sugar regime has remained
unchanged while the rest of the CAP has been reformed. Change
is overdue, inevitable and necessary: it would be a great disappointment
were the EU to miss this opportunity for reform.
200 "Conductor of the band", Landscape
(Defra's staff magazine), July 2005, p 13 Back
201
See e.g. Tate & Lyle, Qq 68-69 Back
202
Q 265 Back
203
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Minutes of Evidence,
Wednesday 2 November 2005, The work of Defra, HC 642-i,
Qq 6-8 Back
204
Q 275 Back
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