Today, in Strasbourg plenary, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe opposed the parliamentary report on the Health Check of the Common Agricultural Policy. The compromise reached by the PPE and the PSE is manifestly conservative and ALDE considers this a bad political signal at the same time as European agriculture Ministers were also meeting in Brussels with the intention of slowing down basic reform. " I would have preferred that Parliament support the original proposals of the European Commission which would better equip Europe's agriculture sector for the challenges facing it in the 21st century" commented Niels BUSK (Venstre, Demark) ALDE Coordinator in the Agriculture Committee.

"This health check is aimed at improving the production and marketing of agricultural produce thus simplifying the procedure to obtain agricultural aid. In the end, we have not raised the stakes, in particular concerning dairy production which should be encouraged in order to respond to global demand". Mr Busk also regretted the timidity of this report as regards modulation, this mechanism allows for the reduction of direct aid in favour of rural development. In addition insists that the development of rural policy is not deviated from its objective in order to resource regional policy projects.

Jan MULDER (VVD, Netherlands) also expressed his regret saying "While refusing to liberalize dairy production more largely, the EU gives up the expanding worldwide market to the Americans and Brazilians". Mr Mulder is disappointed that the assessment of the CAP does not take into sufficient account the proposals in favour of agricultural insurance. "A system of agricultural insurance is needed as soon as possible to deal with epizootics and other agricultural catastrophes. In the event of a huge catastrophe, farmers will be completely disarmed and the EU will struggle to help them with the losses they will incur." Mr Mulder concluded.