Press Release: Commissioner Fischler in Verona: ‘Society should be setting the farming agenda’

Speaking at the opening of 'Veronafiere', the largest agricultural trade fair in Italy, Dr Franz Fischler, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural development and Fisheries, stressed the need for a broad-based discussion of what society wanted from agriculture. It would not be necessary, however, to start from zero since the reforms of 1992 and Agenda 2000 had already set agricultural policy on a new path.

Dr Fischler announced that the Commission wanted to launch a wide public debate about food quality, food safety and the cost of these. He said that the future lay particularly with rural development, the “second pillar” of the CAP, since this was the best way of taking account of society's expectations towards agricultural policy. At present only about 5% of the agricultural budget was being spent on agri-environment schemes.

The Commission would be conducting a thorough analysis of the Agenda 2000 reforms in 2001, as would Member States. The Commission was committed to a mid-term assessment in 2002, which would be an opportunity for further improving the measures needed to meet what society demands of agriculture.