EU Flax Regime

HC Deb 25 January 2000 vol 343 cc191-2W

Sir Peter Emery

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that the implementation of reform proposals of the EU flax regime will not take effect until after the 2000 harvest. [105609]

Ms Quin

The proposed implementation in 2000 of the reform depends on political agreement being reached by the Council of Ministers. Negotiations are underway at official level where the UK has already made clear the difficulties for industry and for enforcement authorities that early implementation would cause.