European Commission rejects changes to Common Agricultural Policy

The European Union (EU) has rejected Polish requests for an adjustment to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to reflect the situation in the country's rural areas. According to Polish negotiators, the existing system is suited only to current member countries, and the proposed changes are necessary to bring the CAP more into line with the less intensive agricultural production methods and different breeding and cultivation practices employed in the candidate countries. After Poland and other Central European countries become members, the area of the EU's cultivated land will increase by 50% and the number of farmers will double. However, the European Commission rejected the Polish requests, and has refused to recommend in its report next week to the EU Council that any changes be made to the CAP. (Rzeczpospolita, July 21-22, p. B2) A.Z.