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Oléagineux, Corps Gras, Lipides. Volume 10, Number 3, 187-90, Mai 2003, Colza : enjeux et nouvelles synergies de la recherche, ÉCONOMIE

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Author(s) : Olivier de GASQUET

Summary : Since the launching in 1999 of the "Agenda 2000" reform, the European Commission has been struggling with the limitations the Blair House agreement put on the European oilseed production. While in 1993 the EU had to subscribe to this agreement in order to put an end to a long‐lasting dispute with the US, the Commission is now actually trying to make it irrelevant by way of domestic action. Their first step, which the Berlin European Council ratified in 1999, was the suppression of any specific payment to oilseeds for food purposes, starting with the 2002 crop. The second step, starting with the reform decided on June 26 th 2003 in Luxembourg, is to extend "decoupling" and set up a non‐specific payment to energy crops. But this strategy is hampered by the distortions of competition due to the common agricultural policy, as well as by those connected to American agricultural policy. Success hence largely hangs on precisely how "decoupling" is implemented according to the new reform \; the EU ability to have its interest prevail within the WTO will also be crucial.

Keywords : Agenda 2000, Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Midterm Review (MTR), Blair House agreement, specific payment, energy crops, WTO