Eurocommissaris Fischler somt voordelen EU-lidmaatschap op voor Letse boeren (en)
Speaking at a press conference in Jelgava, Latvia today, Franz Fischler, EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, stressed the advantages of the EU for the Latvian farm community. "My message for the farm community in Latvia is that EU is of course not heaven, but it is far from being hell. Farmers will clearly be better off in the EU. They will see rising levels of income support, more stable prices, and massive support for the necessary restructuring and modernisation process. One should not forget that restructuring and modernisation has to happen with or without the EU!", he said. Mr. Fischler also commended the Latvian authorities for the progress made in the preparations to join the EU. "I am impressed how Latvia has risen to the challenge of preparing for enlargement. All parties involved have worked extremely hard", the Commissioner pointed out.
Mr Fischler urged all parties involved to step up information activities. "When speaking to farmers, I am sometimes shocked by the poor level of information on the ground. I would really like to urge our friends and partners in Latvia, in the regions and from the farm organisations to give their farmers the full picture and help to debunk the old cliché of how unfair their accession deal is. It is high time to let the farm community know that the reality is different and it is high time to thoroughly inform farmers on how they can benefit from EU support. And this is a task the European Commission cannot possibly shoulder alone," he said.
The Commissioner explained that the phasing-in of direct payments represents only a fraction of the package farmers in Latvia get when joining the EU. "They will immediately benefit 100% from market support measures and a beefed up rural development policy. This means a safety net in case of market crises and more money in farmers' pockets for environmental measures or food quality. On rural development in particular, the measures are tailor-made for the needs of the new member states. Rural communities in Latvia can expect proportionately higher financial allocations than in the EU15. These measures contribute to strengthening rural economies, cushioning adverse social effects of the restructuring process and making rural areas in your country a more attractive place to live and work", he underlined.
Mr. Fischler highlighted that Latvia had made good progress regarding the establishment of Paying Agencies and the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) which are necessary to run the Common Agricultural Policy. "These management and control structures are absolutely necessary. EU taxpayers, in both old and new member states, would not accept EU funds being spent incorrectly. This is why there can't and won't be room for compromise. But at the end of the day, it is the responsibility of Latvia to ensure that the structures are up and running and the subsidies the farmers are entitled to can be paid", the Commissioner stressed.
Finally, Commissioner Fischler addressed the taxation of surplus stocks. "The reason why the EU is doing this as with previous EU enlargements - is that average price levels and import tariffs, for a wide range of products, are much lower in Latvia than in the EU15. This naturally creates a serious risk of speculative stockpiling by operators at the expense of European taxpayers. There are complaints that the list of products is too long, the charges are too high, and the administrative burden disproportionate. We are sensitive to these points, and have tried hard to accommodate these concerns. But there are limits. The list of products is based on our best assessment of the risks of speculation, and the charge must have a deterrent effect. The bottom line is: We will not allow taxpayers' money to end up in the pockets of speculators", Mr Fischler concluded.
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