Commission offering farmers 'pig in a poke' in EU budget - MEP
Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly has accused the European Commission of offering farmers a "pig in a poke" in the next EU budget.
He made the comments to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen who appeared at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels today (Thursday, November 13).
"We need a budget that is accessible to our farmers and researchers, to our companies - big or small, to our regions, to our international partners.
"We need a budget that is simple and straightforward and this is why we have proposed national and regional partnership plans. This is the first pillar of the new budget," von der Leyen told MEPs
"Let me be very clear cohesion and agriculture at the heart of this budget. The resources for both are preserved," she added.
EU budget
However, MEP Mullooly told the EU Commission president that the revised budget proposal lacked substance and clarity.
“Last July you came into this parliament and offered us a budget that left farmers with 20% less in their income. We rejected it outright.
"Last weekend, you realised we were serious, you changed, you tried to pretend it was something else, but today you came in with a pig in a poke," he said.
Mullooly challenged the commission’s claim that new rural targets and future allocations would make up for the proposed cuts.
"You’re offering us an opportunity to buy something we do not know what it is.
"You told us today you were going to have rural targets in the future - there will be 10% more. We need specifics.
"In fact, we need our old Pillar 2 back, commissioner. We need our Pillar 2 for EU LEADER funding for all those other key issues," he said.
Funds
Mullooly demanded that cohesion funds be ring-fenced for member states to ensure that rural and industrial transition regions do not bear the brunt of EU-level policy shifts.
He also called for the restoration of the EU Just Transition Fund for the midlands beyond 2027.
The MEP said that the parliament would not support any deal that fails to guarantee real investment for rural and regional Europe.
"I say to you, we will not buy this pig in the poke. Start again -come up with another plan," he said.
