Germany: Activists win important agricultural victory

For the first time in the German history and following much deliberation the public authorities of North Rhine Westphalia (NRW) have released detailed information about the main beneficiaries of EU agrarian funds. This is the first victory for the ?Transparency initiative for EU agrarian funds?, a campaign launched by 35 German NGOs ? including Greenpeace, Inkota, Oxfam, Weed, WWF and Brot fuer die Welt – that has been putting pressure on authorities to increase the transparency of EU finances destined to agriculture.

Following the pressure of the lobbyists and a court judgement the North Rhine Westphalia authorities were obliged to act in accordance with the law for freedom of information towards all taxpayers in all German states (Laender) and make the information public.

?While each funds beneficiary must disclose his/her financial circumstances, the repartition of 6,5 billion Euro agrarian funds is treated like a national secret?, said Martin Hofstetter, agricultural expert at Greenpeace Germany.

It is, however, no secret that the EU spends more than 40 billion euros a year in Europe in agricultural subsidies, but it does not let anybody know which companies and agricultural cooperatives are receiving the subsidies, nor how much they each receive.

?Fourteen percent of farms receive all together more than half of the direct funds coming into NRW, while 68 big agricultural enterprises receive more than 100.000 Euro. Nevertheless it is the small and medium companies that have the largest employee numbers. This has to be taken into account,? says Ulrich Jasper from the rural agricultural syndicate, ?otherwise it will be just the ground property fostered rather than new employments and regional added value.?

?The details published by the NRW show that it is mostly well established, big companies and agricultural industry that profits from the funds. It is time for all other Laender to release the detailed numbers?, says Marita Wiggerthale agricultural expert for Oxfam Germany.

EU agricultural funds are not subjected to regulated social and ecological criteria. This means that while some beneficiaries will get premium payments that correspond to roughly 120 thousand euros for every employee, most of the companies receive less than a tenth of the figure per employee.

This repartition of funds causes more losses than gains. It does not help small companies that are struggling to survive, nor does it benefit the environment that is put under pressure by intensive farming. Small crofters in the developing counties are also affected, as they cannot compete with the cheap groceries produced thanks to EU funds.

On November 20th the European Commission will present their suggestions for a reform to the agrarian policy for 2009/2010. NGOs propose that the funds be bound to social and ecological utilities in order to reach the goal of a equal, rural, regional, ecological compatible and animal friendly agriculture.

More info:
www.greenpeace.de