George Eustice MP was invited to sit on a Parliamentary Scrutiny Committee this week looking at the European Common Agricultural Policy towards 2020.
The cross-party committee was addressed by the farming minister, Jim Paice, who once again affirmed the Government's commitment to "ambitious reform" of the CAP. The CAP represents more that 40% of the EU's total budget and the minister made it clear that the Government believe that the EU needs to "think more clearly about our priorities: to stimulate competitiveness, sustainable growth and those environmental public goods".
George Eustice called for more national discretion in the policy, pointing out that with 27 member states, and a distinctly unilateral approach, it is increasingly difficult to get things done. "One side effect of this is the stifling of policy innovation. When there is a vibrant policy debate, individual national Governemnts go round and learn lessons from other countries; they see what has worked and what has not. The EU effectively has a lowest common denominator approach."
Mr Paice, along with the EFRA Secretary of State will be presenting detailed proposals to the EU later this year.