The Government's view
1.4 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 17 January 2007,
the Minister for Sustainable Farming and Food at the Department
of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker) says that
the UK supports both technical and policy simplification in line
with its better regulation objectives, and thus supports this
proposal, which he describes as having important, but relatively
modest, benefits. He says that the Government's aim is to try
and retain these benefits, whilst ensuring that undesirable elements,
such as increased market distortion, are not introduced through
the negotiation process, where he points out that there is likely
to be some debate among Member State about the detail of the proposal.
He adds that some Member States may also have concerns that this
proposal is a stepping stone to further reform of the CAP, or
that it might shift the balance of power in favour of the Commission
if it resulted in the sector-specific expertise of national officials
being lost (though he says that the Commission has indicated that
it intends to hold sector-specific meetings of the single Management
Committee which would be established, in order to ensure the presence
of the relevant experts).
Conclusion
1.5 Though the proposal would result in an extremely
long and complex Regulation, the underlying aim appears to be
sound, and should lead to the sort of benefits suggested by the
Commission. In general, therefore, we do not see that the document
gives rise to major issues, but, before taking a final view on
it, we would welcome the Government's comments on the potential
significance of steps which the Commission proposes to take in
relation to the current locus of the European Parliament, and
in particular the suggestion that it itself should assume some
of the relevant powers.
1 Beef and veal, sheep meat and goat meat, pig meat,
poultry meat, eggs, milk and milk products, cereals, hops, sugar,
olive oil and table olives, rice, wine, fruit and vegetables,
seeds, dried fodder, processed fruit and vegetables, processed
goods (cakes, biscuits and confectionery), tobacco, bananas, flax
and hemp, and live trees, plants etc. Back
