The EU is set to see a new Commissioner overseeing its agriculture and food sector. On Friday (15 November), Romanian Dacian Ciolos met the members of the European Parliament and, as David Howarth reports, Ciolos put in a competent performance and allayed concerns that he would be a poodle to the interests of Paris.
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Efforts to boost food producers in their frequent quarrels with big-time retail chains were promised by the EU’s agriculture Commissioner-designate Dacian Ciolos when he appeared before European Parliament lawmakers.
Speaking in a confirmation hearing in Brussels, part of a round of hearings with the nominated new leaders of the European Commission, Ciolos said he wanted “to improve the negotiating position” of food producers when dealing with large retailers.
However, the Romanian added that “a better dialogue” was needed among all stakeholders in the food sector.
“I want to see a better dialogue between the various actors in the food chain. We must remember that it is not only the supermarkets which are creaming off the profits of primary producers; there are other actors in this area.”
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By GlobalDataAsked whether he might create the post of a grocery ombudsman to oversee contentious area of production and retailing, Ciolos replied: “I can only encourage discussions – this is what I shall do – but there are limitations here because of the Union’s competition rules which cannot be breached in their present form. However, I shall take the matter up with my colleague responsible for competition to see if some exemptions from the regulations might be made to help some food producers.”
For the most part, doubts about this unexpected nomination of an obscure Romanian expert were allayed by the end of the legislators’ three-hour grilling, to which he responded in his own language, in French and in English.
In his opening statement Ciolos declared: “I am a reformer. But reform doesn’t mean reducing financial support for the CAP [common agricultural policy] but adapting the budget to meet new challenges.”
This sentiment went down well with the committee, which often takes a conservative line regarding maintaining EU food subsidies.
“EU consumers expect safe and healthy food. Taxpayers need the assurance their money is well spent in an efficient and transparent way. I can promise you that if it were just up to me, the CAP would have a lot more cash from the EU budget. But for now the funding of the CAP is sufficient.”
His demeanour suggested a perhaps less confrontational style than his predecessor, Mariann Fischer Boel, who has been a vigorous proponent of CAP reform. His answers gave an impression that although he claimed to be a reformer, his good intentions would be more conservative.
He stressed the need for “market moderators” where some quality food products are concerned, so there would be no excessive production of such products that might reduce the value of quality labels.
“We shall back research activities to improve inspections which guarantee respect for food quality rules and this, in turn, should increase consumer confidence.
“We’re not necessarily looking to have bigger farms but to develop smaller ones by helping them to contribute to local food production and create local food circuits.
“We need to support quality products and also to make the EU’s high standards better known while at the same time convincing member states to work closely together in all the different markets. This must be used as an argument to promote EU products in international negotiations,” he said.
Ciolos said his legislative programme would include new regulatory proposals aimed at promotion, labelling and quality marks for agricultural products, and he added: “I shall keep a close eye on topical matters including changes in food prices and the situation in the dairy sector.”
Because most of Ciolos’ university education was in France and he was promoted so hard by President Sarkozy, some sceptics have wondered whether he would be a ‘French poodle’, taking orders from Paris.
But there was only one jab at him on this subject. He was asked by a British Conservative if he would sever his “French connection”, which the candidate studiously ignored. A follow-up question about his Francophone loyalties didn’t materialise.
For the moment, then, he dodged the issue successfully. But how long will that last when this self-declared ‘reformer’ tackles the CAP’s old, often intractable features?
