For a progressive CAP reform with Low Impact Policy (& Sarcozy's continuation of France's fine Napoleonic tradition)

Fri Sep 14 17:53:33 BST 2007

In response to Mark Barret's email about President Sarkozy's vision for
the CAP, French agriculture and the neocolonist undertones he has already
hinted at (email copied below):

After rightly describing the many problematic imperialist positions
Sarkozy has pronounced showing little departure from Chirac, Mark, you
seem to give Sarcozy some benefit of the doubt that he might do some good.
I think that we should be in no doubt as to his neo-colonial intent, such
as within many of the interesting points you have highlighted him having
already said in public.

As for Mark's proposal for a campaign on this issue a progressive CAP
reform, I think it would be extremely worthwhile. A proposal should be
prepared and presented to other groups, particularly in France, including
housing and migrant groups.  The Land Is Ours campaign are having a
meeting in Bristol on November (tbc). See email and attachment about
Chapter7's new report, proposing a number of policies to be included in
Ambridge Local Development Framework. (For those who don't know, Ambridge
is the fictional rural area in which the Radio-4 soap opera The Archers is
located).
Mark

Subject: Low Impact Policies for your local authority.
From:    "Simon Fairlie" <chapter7 at tlio.org.uk>
Date:    Tue, September 11, 2007 4:53 pm

Please find attached (hot from the cyberpress) the cover page,
contents page, and summary of Chapter 7's new report, proposing  a
number of policies to be included in Ambridge Local Development
Framework.

Actually it is specifically addressed to West Dorset District
Council;  but it could be adapted for any rural local authority.

Now, with the updating of local plans throughout the country as Local
Development Frameworks, is the time to be feeding your local planning
authority with proposals for low impact planning policies.

We can send the whole 28 page report to anyone who requests it as a
PDF. A paper copy will be printed in due course.

Cheers

Jyoti Fernandes and Simon Fairlie

  Chapter 7, The Land magazine

The Potato Store, Flaxdrayton Farm,
S. Petherton, Somerset TA 13 5LR

01460 249204
chapter7 at tlio.org.uk
www.thescytheshop.co.uk
www.tlio.org.uk

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: [global_justice_forum] CAP Newsx2 + Campaign Suggestion
From:    "Mark Barrett" <marknbarrett at googlemail.com>
Date:    Fri, September 14, 2007 4:46 pm
To:      campaign07-08 at listi.jpberlin.de
         diggers350 at yahoogroups.com
         "global_justice_forum at lists.riseup.net"
<global_justice_forum at lists.riseup.net>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plus ça change? <http://caphealthcheck.eu/2007/09/14/plus-ca-change/>
September
14th, 2007 by Ariel Brunner (View all
posts<http://caphealthcheck.eu/index.php?author=4>
)

Sarko has done it again. In a brilliant media stunt, he has managed to grab
the headlines and project a dynamic image of a changing
France, in "rupture" with the Chirac era. I don't want to ruin the party,
and I certainly hope France is moving forward, but his speech is worth a
closer look. Yes, he is promising a brand new CAP. But if you look at the
few contents, it all sounds quite "déjà vue". He is talking of food
security- code name for supporting EU production and defends maintaining
high tariff barriers to fend of Brazilian imports (community preference).
Then he says a key role of the CAP is in taking our responsibility in
feeding the world, which can be understood as keeping boosting EU exports
and going on playing with the notion that Africa should be fed by French
farmers rather than by African ones. So far, so Chiraquien. Then he talks
about defending French traditions and landscape. This might be an opening to
concerns over biodiversity decline and unsustainable land management, but
sounds much more like keeping the subsidies for wine growers. Finally he
jumps on the climate change band wagon, but what he clearly has in mind are
biofuels, i.e. more public money to big cereal growers…

It is still early to judge and a new hand should always be given the benefit
of doubt. He might still turn out to be a real reformer, and certainly
pretending to be interested in radical change is still better than
championing reaction as Chirac did. But I would advise some caution before
popping the Champaign bottles.
>From http://caphealthcheck.eu

September 12, 2007
Nicolas Sarkozy pledges reform of European farming subsidies Charles Bremner
in Paris

President Sarkozy yesterday abandoned France's long-held resistance to
reforming Europe's £30 billion farm subsidies.

In his first address to the powerful farming lobby since his election in
May, Mr Sarkozy, a lifelong city-slicker, struck a reformist tone far
removed from the rural rhetoric of Jacques Chirac, his predecessor.

"The Common Agriculture Policy, as it exists today, can no longer respond to
the challenges of post2013," Mr Sarkozy told farmers in the Breton city of
Rennes. "Everyone knows this, but nobody says it. I want a new CAP."

France will use its turn in the rotating EU presidency from next July to
draft a new vision of the CAP, which consumes 40 per cent of the Union
budget, Mr Sarkozy said. His words followed pledges of reform in his
election campaign and broke with Mr Chirac's rearguard action every time
that the CAP has been revamped. Under pressure from Mr Chirac, EU leaders
agreed to keep present subsidies in place until 2013.

Mr Sarkozy said that he wanted to help farmers to break their dependence on
handouts. His goal will be to ensure that farmers are paid a fairer price
for their produce.

They should be given more preference over imports and more help to export,
he said. This "European preference" approach runs head-on into efforts at
the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to save six years of negotiations for a
new round of liberalisation.

A majority of states want the US and Europe to lower protective barriers for
their farmers. The Americans say that they will not do so without
concessions from Europe. Mr Sarkozy suggested that he was ready to scupper a
WTO deal if necessary to defend French interests. "If Europe gives up
defending its agriculture . . . if it refuses to act and is happy to give in
when the US Congress votes to continue its subsidies, what is the point of
having an agricultural policy?" said Mr Sarkozy.

He received an implied warning from Peter Mandelson, the European
Commission's trade chief. The WTO negotiations would probably fail if an
outline of a deal could not be agreed before the US presidential campaign
heats up in the new year, Mr Mandelson said. "The clock is ticking," he
added.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2434567.ece
September 14th
Campaign Suggestion

Any chance we can hone down onto a CAP for a joined up EU-wide Housing &
Land Rights Campaign, timed with Sarkozy's EU Presidency next year? 30
billion pounds up for grabs and a post-capitalist vision. I think he wants
to be King of Europe, very Napoleanic.
As we say in England, let's give him a right royal welcome.

See sketch of thinking at http://www.newsov.org/?cat=31

In Solidarity
Mark

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