Ministers to start talks on future of EU agriculture

As EU ministers for agriculture prepare to launch a debate on the future of the bloc"e;s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) tomorrow, farmers"e; groups are calling the EU to adopt organic farming as its future model and to safeguard farming activities in mountainous regions.

The informal meeting of European ministers for agriculture is taking place on 21-23 September. The debate on the future of CAP will be launched tomorrow, when French minister and former EU commissioner for regional policy Michel Barnier is set to present a French EU Presidency document entitled "e;How to best prepare tomorrow"e;s CAP"e;.

The reflection paper is intended to open the debate on which principles should govern European agriculture after 2013, ahead of crucial discussions over the EU"e;s long-term budget [the financial perspectives] which start in 2009.