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Viewing cable 08PARIS342, FRENCH PRESIDENT SARKOZY ADVOCATES EARLY CAP REFORM,

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08PARIS342 2008-02-26 17:17 2011-08-24 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Paris
VZCZCXRO7593
RR RUEHMRE RUEHSR
DE RUEHFR #0342/01 0571717
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261717Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2088
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
INFO RUEHXQ/ALL EUROPEAN UNION POST
RUEHMRE/AMCONSUL MARSEILLE 1978
RUEHSR/AMCONSUL STRASBOURG 0551
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2821
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 6610
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 000342 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
BRUSSELS PASS USEU FOR AGMINCOUNSELOR 
STATE FOR EBB; OES; EUR/ERA; 
STATE PASS USTR FOR MURPHY; 
USDA/OS/SCHAFER/CONNER; 
USDA/FAS FOR OA/YOST/JACKSON/ROSADO; 
OCRA/CURTIS/ALEXANDER; 
ONA/RIEMENSCHNEIDER/YOUNG; 
OFSO/LEE/YOUNG; 
EU POSTS PASS TO AGRICULTURE AND ECON 
GENEVA FOR USTR, ALSO AGRICULTURE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD PGOV WTRO EUN FR INR
SUBJECT: FRENCH PRESIDENT SARKOZY ADVOCATES EARLY CAP REFORM, 
CRITICIZES WTO DISCUSSION 
 
REF: (A) 2007 PARIS 003853 
1.  Summary: At the opening of the annual Paris Agricultural Show on 
Saturday February 23, French President Sarkozy gave a major address 
on agricultural policy announcing his intention to reform the Common 
Agricultural Policy (CAP) as early as 2009. He also reiterated his 
opposition to any WTO agreement in which the EU makes concessions on 
agriculture without measurable concessions by its trading partners. 
Sarkozy also stated his intention to propose that France's 
gastronomy be listed on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Initial 
reactions from French farm groups were generally positive.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.  President Sarkozy emphasized that the 2008 CAP health check done 
under the French Presidency should lay the groundwork for a more 
complete and in-depth reform of the CAP in 2009, rather than wait 
for the 2010 budget discussion. For France, the CAP should focus on 
better management of climatic, sanitary and economic risks for 
farmers while sustaining agricultural activities in fragile areas. 
 
 
3. Sarkozy highlighted his four goals for a CAP reform: 
 
- Increased food security for 400 million European consumers. He 
stressed that strict EU sanitary, environmental and welfare 
regulations should also apply without restrictions to imported 
products. Sarkozy also emphasized that the EU preference should be 
the basis for a new CAP. 
 
- An EU presence on world agricultural markets. Sarkozy repeated 
that European agriculture should help fight hunger in the world. 
(Note: that could mean that Sarkozy wants to maintain some kind of 
EU export support program. End note). 
 
- A contribution to the fight against global warming and 
environmental stewardship. 
 
- More balanced regional development, with policy tools to help 
sustain agriculture in fragile areas such as mountainous regions. 
 
4. In carefully chosen words, Sarkozy suggested that farmers should 
organize themselves more effectively as an alternative to calling 
for systematic subsidies when problems arise. He stated that he will 
work with the EU commission so that such groups do not contravene EU 
fair competition rules. 
 
5. Sarkozy openly criticized the EU position on current WTO Doha 
negotiations as unbalanced. He stated that France will strongly 
oppose any agreement that would hurt French agriculture and reminded 
the audience that the EU needs unanimity to approve an agreement. He 
asked that negotiations be reestablished on a "healthy foundation." 
He cited the United States as strong defendant of its agriculture 
and called upon the EU to follow the U.S. example. 
 
6. Sarkozy mentioned the biotech issue briefly, calling for a more 
integrated policy within the European Union.  Europe must "advance 
at the same pace" on the issue, he said. (Comment:  France is likely 
to use its upcoming EU presidency to advocate its approach to 
agricultural bio-technology with EU partners.  End comment.) 
 
7. Sarkozy also announced that France will propose that French 
gastronomy be named on the UNESCO's Intangible World Heritage lists 
where it would join Albanian Folk Iso-polyphony or Japan's Nogaku 
Theatre. 
 
8. French farm leaders received Sarkozy's proposals positively. They 
acknowledged that current high commodity prices will probably make 
CAP reform less painful. They however reminded the French President 
that they will be vigilant on these issues. 
 
9. Comment: Sarkozy's proposals were consistent with those made in 
Rennes on September 11 (Reftel A). Nevertheless, the announcement of 
a 2009 reform was somewhat surprising, as in the past France had 
refused to consider CAP reform before 2013. We would expect France 
to make CAP reform the cornerstone of its agricultural agenda during 
its EU presidency, with emphasis on giving member states more 
 
PARIS 00000342  002 OF 002 
 
 
resources and flexibility to manage crises and using a wider range 
of tools such as insurance. France is also likely to propose that 
imports be subject to more rigorous standards. 
 
STAPLETON