Britain comes under twin attack for policy on cutting farming subsidies

Speaking on 30 June 2005 at his first press conference since becoming France's new Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin ruled out any possibility of renegotiating the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) during the life of the 2007-2013 budget, and said that Britain would have to abide by the agreement on agricultural subsidies reached in 2002. Mr de Villepin went on to say it was more urgent to resolve the crisis over the EU budget 2007-2013, which collapsed at the European Council, Brussels, 16-17 June 2005 after Britain refused to give up its budget rebate and France rejected UK calls for a revision of the farm subsidy arrangements.

European Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel also spoke out on 30 June 2005 in staunch defence of the CAP and said that she welcomed a review of farm policy in 2008.