Estonian Ministry of Agriculture, 31.01.2012
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania continue their discussions to specify common positions and tactical approach in the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union.

The Minister of Agriculture of Estonia Helir-Valdor Seeder met yesterday in Riga with his Latvian and Lithuanian colleagues and also with the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Parliament Sandra Kalniete and Mairead McGuinness.

"We were looking for common position and tactics to achieve the equalization of direct support," said Seeder. The topics regarding greening, export subsidies and cutting support levels were also under discussion, as they are topics were common positions need to be developed as well.

Minister Seeder also met with the Speaker of the Latvian Parliament Solvita Āboltina.

The Ministers of Agriculture of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and the Heads of agriculture organizations signed a joint declaration in Berlin on 20 January demanding a fast harmonization of direct support. The joint declaration states that lower support levels of the Baltic States compared to other EU Member States hinder the possibilities of Baltic farmers to compete in the common market.

Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian representatives find that support levels of Member States have to differ from each other as little as possible during the next budget period.

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