"Reform EU Agriculture Policy" says Yorkshire's Lib Dem Euro MP on French TV

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 4th Apr 2001

Diana Wallis MEP represented Yorkshire's farmers on French TV this week, taking part in the political affairs programme 2 pour 2 contre (translated as '2 for, 2 against') to discuss agricultural reform.

Speaking in French, Diana Wallis said that the EU's main agriculture programme, CAP (Common Agriculture Policy), was long overdue for reform.

She said: "The programme was designed for the 1950s when food was still rationed in post-war Europe and then for a European Community of just six member states. The problem then was quantity, but as we are now acutely aware from the BSE and Foot & Mouth crises the problem now is quality. We need to ensure that consumers have confidence in agricultural products.

"It is ironic that this issue which now most touches on the wider electorate is the one where the European Parliament has the least influence.

"Most decisions on European agriculture are taken by the Council of Ministers*, behind closed doors. Where the safety and confidence of consumer is concerned, we need to have transparency and to have Parliament fully involved in the decision-making process as an equal partner through the system known as co-decision."

*The Council of Ministers is the meeting of government ministers from each Member State. It's meetings are closed to the public, unlike those of the European Parliament, and minutes are not published.

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View the programme "2 pour 2 contre".