French dilemma over CAP reform


23 February 1999


French dilemma over CAP reform


FRANCE is facing a difficult – if not impossible – balancing act at the meeting taking place in Brussels over agricultural reform, reports the Financial Times.

The country can make few concessions to its partners in the European Union without incurring the wrath of its powerful agricultural lobby, says the paper.

But its dilemma is that, without making concessions in Brussels, the government will run into conflict with Germany.

The French government is trying to address this difficulty by rejecting German ideas for “co-financing” which would shift part of agricultural funding back to national governments.

Instead France wants a system of gradual cuts in aid over the next six years.

See more