European Environmental Advisory Councils

urge CAP reform to promote sustainable land use

In a statement signed by ten of the European governmental Environmental Advisory Councils, urgent action is demanded to promote more environmentally sustainable use of land across Europe.

The Councils draw attention to last year's EU ministers' conference in Sofia (October 1995) and called for a new policy framework to give stability and predictability to help farmers plan for the long term, and secure enduring environmental benefits. They urge that sustainable development principles, as defined by the Brundtland Commission (development which meets the needs of this generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs), need to be incorporated into all decision making from international down to local levels.

One of the strongest messages in this report is that "ubiquitous and unconditional support for agricultural production is no longer appropriate, and should cease. Support should then be re-orientated towards environmentally sensitive farming, and withdrawn from practices which lead to environmental degradation of land. They advocate a system in which, alongside the removal of production subsidies, there should be a significant increase in payments to farmers and land managers for delivering environmental products and services. Practical and innovative ways to do that at the right scale need to be found by building on the experience of implementing the EU (Agri-environment) Regulation 2078/92.

Such policies would contribute to the enhancement of environmental quality across Europe, would help to sustain rural employment and be cost-effective.

The Advisory Councils go on to make a series of specific calls for action aimed at the EU and WTO.

The EU is called on:

· To work towards an integrated rural sustainability policy, incorporating sustainable development principles, and delivered in such a way which sustains regional and local character.

· To incorporate environmental objectives explicitly at the heart of a reformed CAP.

· To shift significant resources from unconditional agricultural production support into the expansion of regional and local agri-environmental programmes to meet defined ecological targets.

· To ensure that farmers and land managers throughout Europe meet defined and measurable basic environmental standards of good practice, which reduce pollution, contribute to environmental enhancement and sustain critical natural capital.

· To investigate the re-orientation of EU funds and other instruments to achieve more environmentally sustainable land use.

· To use structural funds to support enhancement of areas where biodiversity and landscape features have been lost.

· To develop environmental indicators to monitor the progress made.

The WTO is called on:

· To embrace sustainable development principles within trade policy

· To take account of international obligations to conserve biodiversity within multi-lateral trade rules.

· To ensure that environmental assets and environmental carrying capacity are respected and progress is measured.

The Countryside Council for Wales and the Heritage Council for Ireland have since elected to join the signatories, and the Councils are looking for expressions of interest from other countries of Europe, particularly in the south and east. The Councils will be working to develop the messages in the statement, focusing on the current debate over CAP reform. They would welcome contact with organisations in Europe which are carrying out research or action in this area.

Signatories to the statement:

For further information contact:

Gerry Hamersley, English Nature, Northminster House. PE1 1UA.
Tel: (+44)(0)1733 318338 Fax: (+44)(0)1733 68834.

23 October 1996