§ 14. Mr. MacShaneTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to reform the common agricultural policy with a view to EU enlargement. [122416]
§ Ms QuinWe are pursuing opportunities created by anticipated market pressures, the reviews contained within the Agenda 2000 agreement and the existing commitment to review the sugar regime by 2001 to push for the reform process started at Berlin to be completed. Such an outcome would facilitate enlargement.
§ >Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what estimates he has made of the cost to the existing members of the EU of accepting into the Common Agricultural Policy(a) Poland, (b) Hungary, (c) the Czech Republic, (d) Estonia, (e) Malta, (f) Cyprus, (g) Slovakia, (h) Bulgaria, (i) Romania, (j) Slovenia, (k) Latvia, (l) Lithuania and (m) Turkey; [122962]
(2) what the Government's policy is on the funding of the additional costs involved in accepting (a) Poland, (b) Hungary and (c) the Czech Republic into the Common Agricultural Policy. [122963]
§ Mr. Nick Brown[holding answer 22 May 2000]: The Financial Perspective for 2000–06 agreed at the Berlin Council in March 1999 set aside around 12.5 billion euro at 1999 prices to finance the CAP for up to six new member states over the period 2002–06. The Government's aim is to ensure that this ceiling is not breached.