Report: Meeting between the IFAP Mediterranean Committee and European Authorities

Brussels, 3-4 December 2003

Officers of the Mediterranean Committee took advantage of the revitalization of the Barcelona process spurred, in particular, by the November 27, 2003 meeting of agriculture ministers in Venice in order to present the viewpoint of farmers at meetings with several senior executives of European bodies. The Mediterranean Committee delegation comprised three of its vice-presidents, Abdelbaki Bacha (Tunisia), Guy Giva (France) and Francesco Serra Carraciolo (Italy), Nora Ourabah, representing the IFAP Secretariat, and Daniel Bigou, Sylvain Lhermitte and Arnaud Petit, representing the APCA.

The key objective of the meetings was to reopen the dialogue between European authorities and IFAP by putting forward the idea that Mediterranean farmers wish to take the lead in anticipation of the 2010 deadline for the coming into force of the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Zone. As Mr Serra Carraciolo noted, “2010 is just around the corner and we’re already late. We have very little time to carry out this free trade zone project and there are two solutions, i.e. either we postpone the 2010 deadline or we find the means to meet our objective.” To this end, the MEDA financing programme must be rectified and accord greater importance to the agriculture section. “The programme excludes farmers and we want to be included in it,” Mr Carraciolo noted.

Farmer members of the Mediterranean Committee “are seeking what draws them together and not what separates them, bearing in mind the specific nature of the Mediterranean region,” as Mr. Giva confirmed several times. “We didn’t agree 10 or 15 years ago,” added Mr. Bacha, with reference to farmers from the southern shore of the Mediterranean Basin. “Since then, things have changed considerably. From now on, we want to find areas of complementarity and develop quality specifically Mediterranean products with a rural accent.” Moreover, climate is of capital importance.

As for WHO trade negotiations, it would be worthwhile for countries on both sides of the Mediterranean Basin to adopt a common Mediterranean position with a minimum of agreement.

Mediterranean Committee proposals

- Involve farmers organisations in the formulation phase of MEDA financing programmes aimed at bolstering the capacity of agricultural trade bodies, especially distribution channels.

- Elaborate a Mediterranean quality label (from a commercial, not a legal standpoint) in order to heighten consumer awareness of local products. To this end, it is necessary to upgrade products from the southern shore of the Mediterranean Basin.

- Conduct a study on the complementarity of Mediterranean products to foster agricultural development on both sides of the Mediterranean Basin. The CIHEAM (Centre international de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes) is taking part in the project.

Meeting with Isabelle Garzon, Office of Commissioner Lamy, Wednesday, 3 December 2003

Ms Garzon was most encouraging and described IFAP’s initiative as outstanding. Indeed, she deems it remarkable that agricultural organizations such as IFAP are seeking complementarity in their agricultural productions in anticipation of the 2010 deadline.

As for the notion of complementarity, Ms Garzon noted that the European Commission (EC) is already deliberating on the matter, in particular in the textile sector.

She was indeed receptive to finding the type of assistance that the Commission could offer the IFAP Mediterranean Committee.

The discussion then turned to the establishment of the free trade zone and its consequences for the Mediterranean region overall.

Mediterranean Committee officials confirmed that the adoption of future Mediterranean free trade deadlines must be achieved gradually. Moreover, we must focus on partnerships and development cooperation rather than simple trade in goods. However, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership must take into account specific conditions in each partner country. We must urgently strive to harmonize trade rules in order to achieve gradual liberalization instead of opting for complete but disorderly liberalization.

As for distortions, Ms Garzon pinpointed three factors to which the Commission must pay special attention.

- First, from the standpoint of the organization of liberalization, she encourages trade organizations to focus on products that are politically sensitive and heighten awareness of them in the EC.

- Subsidies: European subsidies must not cause trade distortions with regard to access to the markets of European third countries. Indeed, “finding the right type of assistance” is the main problem.

This type of reflection must be adapted with respect to the Mediterranean Basin in order to find ways to support farmers by clarifying the means of achieving cooperation.

We must ensure that the Euro-Mediterranean policy is integrated.

- Phytosanitary standards: The EC offers assistance to countries covering concrete upgrading projects. Ms Garzon is strongly urging farmer members of the IFAP Mediterranean Committee to submit concrete projects to the European Commission.

She noted that the DG Trade offers funding for concrete projects. The Mediterranean Committee reacted favourably to this open proposal from the DG Trade of the European Commission, which plans to offer farmers support in order to upgrade agricultural products on the southern shore of the Mediterranean Basin. Mr Bacha added that he hoped that the EC would provide assistance to bolster the capacity of trade organizations.

As for MEDA, Ms Garzon is prepared to support the Mediterranean Committee’s proposal to develop cooperation between trade organizations.

At the same time, she acknowledged that European Union authorities were wrong to want to reduce to its smallest share the place of agriculture but remains optimistic about the future.

She is encouraging the Mediterranean Committee to take advantage of the EC’s reflection phase on the renegotiation of financial prospects in the new 2004-2006 cycle in order to submit concrete proposals.

Expansion eastward and the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership

Ms Garzon reassured the Mediterranean Committee with respect to the EU’s trans-border policy, which would call for the strengthening of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. In other words, the risk that Europe would shift its attention from the Mediterranean region to eastward expansion would be eliminated. “I wish to assure you that Mediterranean third countries will not be harmed by the expansion. To the contrary, expansion will lead to more extensive trade,” she said. “Indeed, the Commission wishes to reorganize MEDA. Trade organizations must help build the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.”

To conclude, Ms Garzon was highly receptive to farmers’ initiatives and encouraged the IFAP Mediterranean Committee to move ahead by initially targeting concrete action priorities before submitting them to Commissioners Fishler and Lamy. She also proposed to the Mediterranean Committee that it draft a proposal for collaboration, which she believes would warrant support.

Meeting with Joseph Daul, Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, European Parliament, Wednesday, 3 December 2003

While he agrees with the idea of thinking in terms of complementarity rather than competition between producers on both shores of the Mediterranean Basin, Mr Daul acknowledged the lack of significant progress in agricultural negotiations stemming from a lack of political will on the part of the governments concerned. Indeed, it is very hard for some governments to ask their producers to reduce their productions. It is difficult to achieve acceptance for the idea of sharing.

He emphasized the important that IFAP member farmers play. Moreover, farmers must act at several levels by:

- refocusing debate on agricultural productions;

- working on concrete proposals aimed at harmonizing the position of Euro-Mediterranean farmers.

Mr Daul emphasized that the agricultural problem concerns farmers, who must reach agreement among themselves. Farmers themselves are creating obstacles insofar as “the agricultural problem is in our hands and in the hands of our agricultural organizations.”

Mr Daul concurs with the Mediterranean Committee as for the need to pursue the implementation of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, which, if it succeeds, is the solution to the geopolitical problems facing Europe. Consequently, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership is much more than a trade agreement in that it must provide long-term solutions to possible political, social and economic problems.

As for the nature of association agreements, Mr Daul stressed the need to develop bilateral agreements between the countries in the Euro-Med Zone in order to adapt to different situations in Mediterranean third countries.

The year 2004 is an auspicious one for reflection since parliamentarians will be campaigning and it affords IFAP an opportunity to reflect on its concrete proposals.

Meeting with Giacomina Cassina, Chair of the Euromed Follow-up Committee, European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
Staffan Nilsson, Member of the Euromed Follow-up Committee, Wednesday, 3 December 2003

The European Economic and Social Committee has collaborated for several years with the IFAP Mediterranean Committee. Ms Cassina expressed the desire to strengthen this collaboration.

She noted that civil society has matured considerably and become a genuine protagonist of decision-makers.

The EESC deems agriculture to be an essential component of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. Ms Cassina expressed the problem thus: “How can we engage in agricultural trade that satisfies farmers’ and consumers’ viewpoints?”

“What is at stake is not one-way trade but reciprocal needs,” she added. She noted that the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership must include safeguards to ensure food security, a veritable stumbling block.

To this end, at the EESC Euromed Committee’s latest Euro-Mediterranean summit conference, held in Malta, the Committee decided to focus for two years on the theme of “Agricultural Development and Food Security.”

The Committee is keenly interested in collaborating with the IFAP Mediterranean Committee in this respect.

Under the circumstances, the EESC will, in the near future, make proposals to collaborate with IFAP, once the EESC establishes a task force devoted to this issue, and may seek IFAP’s expertise in the realm of agriculture.

The EESC Euromed Committee would like to organize hearings involving the most appropriate Mediterranean agricultural organizations. The IFAP Mediterranean Committee could be asked to present its viewpoint.

Meeting with Richard Weber, Director, EuropeAid Co-operation Office, in charge of MEDA

Mr Weber confirmed that agriculture has not for some time been a MEDA priority. Emphasis has been placed in recent years on the tertiary sector. The lack of interest among donor agencies in funding agricultural projects stems from controversy over the success of such projects, whose results have been deemed insufficient, compounded by protracted implementation periods. However, the prevailing disfavour surrounding agriculture appears to be abating since donor agencies are beginning to realize the importance of rural areas considered overall from the standpoint of the survival of numerous populations.

Mr Weber is encouraging the Mediterranean Committee to submit concrete projects that cover broad problems affecting rural areas overall. The Mediterranean Committee must submit worthwhile projects that go beyond conventional initiatives involving the organization of workshops, Web sites, and conferences advocating the exchange of ideas.

In response, Mr Bacha mentioned two key issues:

- Countries on the Southern shore of the Mediterranean Basin have not clearly articulated agricultural issues and they must seek to raise awareness among European authorities;

- Mobilization is lacking among the projects’ beneficiaries. Agricultural organizations must be involved during the design phase of projects.

Mr Weber proposed several potential areas for cooperation likely to attract the EC’s attention, given that the average project is worth €20 million:

- the harmonization of standards;

- questions pertaining to water resources;

- the fight against poverty and the stabilization of populations (counteract the rural exodus);

- a study on the complementarity of Mediterranean products (the proposal must include as many concrete components as possible).

In other words, integrated themes such as the environment, the struggle to combat desertification, and water, are more likely than sectoral themes to obtain funding.

As for the allocation of MEDA funds, he noted that 93% of the projects are bilateral programs with governments and the remaining 7% are regional programs involving the European Union and member States.

It should be noted that the DG External Relations is going to discuss the programmes to be pursued in 2005-2006. The second half of 2004 will be devoted to the selection of priority sectors.

Meeting with Luigi Polizzi, [assistant agricultural delegate, in charge of Mediterranean issues], Italian Permanent Representation to the EU

Mr Polizzi noted that the three key recommendations in the Venice Declaration focused on:

- rural development;
- the quality of Mediterranean products;
- organic farming.

He confirmed the interest of EU Commissioner Franz Fishler’s office in Mediterranean agricultural questions. He also advocated the new conception of the Commission, which hopes to focus its strategy on concrete objectives.

Mr Polizzi expressed his willingness to serve as a contact for the submission to the Commission of proposals concerning the forthcoming MEDA financing programmes, which will be effective in 2006. As is true of the other interlocutors encountered, with regard to the funding of the IFAP study on the development of complementarity through the MEDA financing programme, the Mediterranean Committee needs expertise to submit this proposal to the governments that will exert pressure on European authorities. Indeed, IFAP’s approach complements that of the States concerned.

Meeting with Franz Fishler, EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Affairs and Fisheries

Mr Fishler is convinced of the importance of a constructive Mediterranean policy and noted that “the elaboration of such a policy around the Mediterranean Basin is a necessary undertaking to ensure peace in the region and in Europe.”

He mentioned three areas of responsibility in respect of agriculture and rural development:

- the process of establishing by 2010 the free trade zone is well under way: only one country, Syria, has not yet signed the association agreement;

- the promotion of agricultural complementarity;

- agriculture must be examined in its broadest sense. The diversification of agriculture-related operations is necessary to ensure sustainable rural development. The MEDA programme satisfies this objective.

In light of the success of the Venice conference, Mr Fishler is encouraging the Mediterranean Committee to undertake active, concrete initiatives.

He expressed an interest in two key components of the Mediterranean Committee’s action plan:

- the development of the concept of a Mediterranean quality label;

- the liberalization of markets in the Euromed zone. The WTO must thoroughly examine the case of Mediterranean third countries.

Mr Fishler is convinced that rural development is the starting point for any development even though policies have not always pointed in this direction. He is convinced that farmers must support and collaborate with each other. He added that this is the ideal time to do so since rural development is to be part of MEDA priorities starting in 2004.

Moreover, Mr Fishler is encouraging IFAP to take advantage of every opportunity to publicly express farmers’ viewpoints.

To conclude, he asked the Mediterranean Committee to elaborate a concrete proposal on the development of a Mediterranean quality label. We must not overlook the notion of the certified designation of origin (CDO) in the European Union, which could be applied to the Euromed zone.

To conclude, all of the interlocutors encountered agree that:

• it is entirely in the interests of the Mediterranean Committee to meet with European authorities in order to defend the interests and place of farmers in the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. This undertaking has, on several occasions, been described as remarkable;
  
• the European Commission is reformulating its policy directions concerning the MEDA programme by attaching greater importance to rural development, now deemed to be an important sector. The IFAP Mediterranean Committee must take advantage of this new strategy to formulate concrete proposals for submission to the appropriate EC branches.