Nooooo, really?

Change of tone in the presidential discourse on Europe’s agricultural policy.

Nicolas Sarkozy warns French farmers that he will push for a reform of the common agricultural policy when France takes over the presidency of the EU in 2008. Substance, and the real job on proposals by the relevant ministers to follow, of course….In English in the FT:

“He told farmers at a cattle fair in Rennes, Britanny, they had to learn to make a living from market prices rather than subsidies. But he framed a partly free-market message with a demand for greater Europe-wide protection for a sector he described as an “essential pillar” of the French economy. The EU should set a goal of “stabilising markets” in agricultural goods. It would do this by reestablishing the CAP on the principle of “community preference”, although he did not spell out what this would mean in practice.

He said a reformed CAP needed to meet four objectives: ensure “food security” for Europe; contribute to a growing global demand for food; preserve rural economies and landscapes; and help combat climate change.”

Typical Sarko style – more markets + more national preference or protection. What the final result will be is to be seen.

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