Vol. 553 No. 4
18 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food, in regard to the commitment given in An Agreed Programme for Government, the specific measures proposed to protect the fundamental principles of the CAP in the EU enlargement process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13980/02]
The fundamental principles of the CAP can best be protected by applying the CAP as it stands to the new member states, with transitional arrangements where appropriate. This position has been maintained by Ireland in the most recent discussions on the enlargement process which resulted in a decision by the Council of Ministers on 17 June that the CAP "must be applied to all Member States, with transitional modalities to be adopted with the candidates in the Treaty of Accession".
