HC Deb 23 June 1994 vol 245 c351
11. Mr. Dunn

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect the development of agriculture in eastern Europe will have on the European Union.

Mr. Soames

Technical improvements, and the development of market-oriented production systems could enable the farming industries of central and eastern European countries to pose a significant competitive challenge. Preferential access to EU markets under the Europe agreements will contribute to this.

Mr. Dunn

Can my hon. Friend confirm that it would be impossible to extend the common agricultural policy as it now stands to eastern and central Europe? Is that not a further good reason for seeking to reform the CAP so as to bring it nearer to the market?

Mr. Soames

I agree with my hon. Friend. Enlargement of the European Union to the east would involve unsustainable budgetary costs if the CAP remained in its present form. I hope that my hon. Friend will accept that the United Kingdom Government are leading efforts within the European Union to continue to bring the CAP closer to real world markets. I think that there is increasingly a more general understanding within the Community that unless those steps are taken, the CAP will disappear up its own fundamental.