Written question asked by Jim Marshall (Labour) on Tuesday, 23 February 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 1 March 1999. It was answered by Nicholas Brown (Labour) on Monday, 1 March 1999 on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Question: Statement on the outcome was of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 22nd and 23rd February.

Answer: Mr. Jim Marshall: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the outcome was of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 22 and 23 February; and if he will make a statement. [73486] Mr. Nick Brown: I represented the United Kingdom, accompanied by my noble Friends the Parliamentary Under-Secretaries for Scotland and for Northern Ireland and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales, at a meeting of the European Union Agriculture Council in Brussels beginning on 22 February. The Council embarked upon negotiations on the Commission's proposals for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. These comprise proposals for reform of the arable crops, beef, milk and wine regimes, proposals on rural development and on common measures affecting direct payments to farmers, and a proposals concerning the financing of the CAP. My objective in the negotiations was to secure ambitious and worthwhile reforms in all sectors and to ensure that, by 2006, CAP spending is stabilised in real terms at its current level. By the early hours of Friday morning, after several days of intensive negotiation, the conditions were not yet ripe for an overall agreement to be reached. The Council will accordingly meet again on Thursday 4 March to continue the negotiations.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 326 c587W; 73486
Session: 1998-99
Subjects: Crops Farmers Payments Milk Reform Wines Beef Common agricultural policy EC Agriculture Council