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Policies and issues
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The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development is a member of the European Commission. The post is currently held by Commissioner Dacian Cioloş. The post is in charge of rural issues including most notably the controversial Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which represents 44% of the EU budget.
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In June 2006 Commissioner Fischer Boel set out a plan to tackle Europe's "Wine lakes" – the overproduction of wine due to EU policies and subsidies. Reducing production, in party by wiping out areas of vineyards and increasing quality to compete with New World wines should keep Europe as a major wine exporter and get rid of "crisis distillation" – turning excess wine into fuel and industrial alcohol.[1]
In January 2007 she caused anger among a number of European farmers for stating that, after 2013, agricultural subsidies would face substantial cuts. She aims to have the agricultural policy included in the 2008–2009 budget review as requested by the United Kingdom.[2] She has also been seeking to simplify the regulation of the CAP.[3]
Name | Country | Period | Commission | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sicco Mansholt | Netherlands | 1958–1972 | Hallstein Commission, Rey Commission, Malfatti Commission |
2 | Carlo Scarascia-Mugnozza | Italy | 1972–1973 | Mansholt Commission |
3 | Pierre Lardinois | Netherlands | 1973–1981 | Ortoli Commission |
4 | Finn Olav Gundelach | Denmark | 1981–1985 | Jenkins Commission, Thorn Commission |
5 | Frans Andriessen | Netherlands | 1985–1989 | Delors Commission I |
6 | Ray MacSharry | Ireland | 1989–1992 | Delors Commission II |
7 | René Steichen | Luxembourg | 1992–1995 | Delors Commission III |
8 | Franz Fischler | Austria | 1995–2004 | Santer Commission, Marín Commission, Prodi Commission |
9 | Sandra Kalniete | Latvia | 2004 | Prodi Commission |
10 | Mariann Fischer Boel | Denmark | 2004–2010 | Barroso Commission I |
11 | Dacian Cioloş | Romania | 2010 onwards | Barroso Commission II |