The Future Common Agricultural Policy will be defined... NOW!

The ongoing debate about the CAP is entering a crucial period. The current term ends in 2013, and post 2013 CAP negotiations should be finished by mid 2011. Thus we are facing 12 months of intense negotiations within a context of tight budgetary constraints.

The results of the informal consultation organized by DG AGRI on the future of the CAP were presented on July 19-20 in Brussels; as expected, forestry related issues were poorly represented. This reflects the fact that forestry is not well placed on the agenda of the CAP reform. In fact, forestry measures hardly represent 1.6% of the total CAP budget.

At the moment there is very little information of how forestry will be incorporated in the future CAP. DG AGRI has expressed its intention to maintain and simplify forestry measures within Rural Development. The debate is open. USSE has prepared a (Castellano, English, Française). This guide includes:

• The history and recent reforms of the CAP
• Hot issues in the post 2010 CAP debate
• Analysis of the state of forestry in the current CAP
• Reasons for a CAP more open to forest needs
• Concrete proposals for CAP reform

The past monday 24th USSE had a meeting to prepare the answers for the CAP consultation. You can download here the answers that have been sent from USSE to the Commission.

USSE’s position in the CAP debate

Forests and forest management are important for Europe

European forests encompass 45% of the surface of the European Union and can make an important contribution towards meeting the challenges of climate change, change of energy model and biodiversity crisis. All this through carbon sequestration, provision of renewable materials for production, construction and bioenergy, and the implementation of sustainable forest management.

Managed forests face increasing risks from climate change and abandonment of rural environments

Forests are not without risks. They may suffer the consequences of climate change and globalization in the form of increased frequency of extreme weather events, forest disasters and outbreaks of pests and diseases.

Owners are responsible for the management and protection of forests

In this context, forest owners -whether private, communal or public (municipal, regional, national, etc.)- have the responsibility to manage their forests in a sustainable way. Therefore, forests owners should be motivated and provided with tools to increase sustainability of forest management even in the context of great sociological and environmental changes.

It is necessary to create an enabling environment for forest management

However, the lack of economic sustainability of forest management in some European regions presents a major challenge for society as a whole, and prevents forest from making a greater contribution towards a green society, while increasing the risk of fire and pests outbreaks.

It is therefore necessary that the CAP has a greater contribution to the implementation of sustainable forest management. Forest management has to be economically sustainable.

The future CAP should therefore incorporate a coherent forest package, well integrated with other sectoral policies, opening a way for forestry to develop its potential and contribute to a greener and healthier society.

Forestry measures in the new CAP

At the moment there is very little information of how forestry will be incorporated in the future CAP. DG AGRI has expressed its intention to maintain and simplify forestry measures within Rural Development.

Milestones of the Process

June 2010: Public debate on the future of the CAP

July 2010: Conference on the future of the CAP and presentation of the public debate

Late 2010: Communication from the Commission with guidelines on the post 2013 CAP

Early 2011: Public consultation on the Communication from the Commission

Summer 2011: A draft regulation will be tabled

Summer 2011- 2013: Negotiations between member states

January 2014: Implementation of the new CAP

Useful Links

International Producer Associations

USSE's position & guide for debate

Position of COPA-COGECA

Position of ELO

Position of CEPF

Enviromental NGOs

Vision of Bird Life International

NGOs' joint proposal

Analysis of BirdLife International on the impact of the enviromental measures of the CAP

European Institutions

Dicussion paper of DG AGRI Dic-09

Report of the European Parliament on the post CAP 2013. Mar-2010

Report of DG Agri on forestry measures of the CAP Mar-2009

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