Being in the right place at the right time

Date: 27/03/1997

Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler's excuse for not attending an important meeting of farmers' organisation COPA was that he was on a working trip in Japan.

It was disappointing for COPA because it was a big day for the organisation as it elected a new president to replace NFU boss Sir David Naish.

Still, Japan's a long way away ...but wait a minute, Fischler was actually in Austria that day with his entire cabinet, attending a seminar organised by the Austrian Industry Association on how to lobby Europe.

“Is this more important than meeting Europe's farmers?” grumbled one agriculturist. A case of keeping the home fires burning...?

COPA managed without Fischler and chose Luc Guyau, head of the French farm union FNSEA as its new figurehead.

Those who have seen him in action say Guyau is a tough operator who will always stand up for farming. There are four COPA vice-presidents, one of whom will be Hans Kletzmayr, brother of Austrian Farm Minister Wilhelm Molterer...

In fact, Fischler did go to Japan early this month and perhaps he high-tailed it to Austria to recover from a trip which proved a little more costly than expected for Europe's taxpayers.

Fischler was heading a delegation trying to open up the Japanese market for EU goods. Somehow, the Commissioner and his chef de cabinet Corrado Pirzio-Biroli got the idea the trip would be paid for by the European business community in return for the political support the pair were giving delegates.

But, as they discovered, there is no such thing as a free air ticket. Lucky there's an EU budget to fall back on...