HC Deb 19 February 1981 vol 999 c227W
Mr. loan Evans

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the likely effect on the European Economic Community common agricultural policy of the membership of Greece, Portugal and Spain of the European Economic Community.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

This subject has been under discussion and the Commission will be making proposals for changes in regimes for the main Mediterranean products to take account of further enlargement.

Mr. Marlow

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his assessment of the ways, including assisted loan schemes, in which the German and French Governments are contravening the terms of the common agricultural policy.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

The Commission, which is responsible for assessing the compatibility of national aids with Community rules, considers that the aid which France announced last year for dairy and beef producers is incompatible with the Common Market. We believe that this is also true of parts of the package of aid announced in France in December, in particular of the income subsidies.