Ahead of a vote in the European Parliament on the EU’s budget for the next seven years, Mairead McGuinness MEP has called for an adequately funded Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget.

Tomorrow (Wednesday), MEPs will vote on their position on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which determines EU spending over a seven-year period.

Debating the MFF today, McGuinness said she absolutely rejected calls to cut the CAP budget.

"Farm incomes on average are lower than other sectors. Farmers need the support that comes via the CAP,” she said.

Debate

At present, there is intense debate surrounding the EU budget for the 2021 to 2027 period and where money should be spent.

"There are many areas calling for more funding including Erasmus, research and security – and we must be mindful that as the United Kingdom leaves the union, the overall EU budget is set to shrink,” McGuinness warned.

Strong support

In a statement, she said there was strong support among the Parliament that money for these areas should not come from a cut to the CAP budget.

She also said there was support for an increase to the CAP budget to account for inflation and price changes.

Next week, the EU agricultural committee will meet to discuss its vision for the next CAP. McGuinness said that MEPs could not have a robust debate on the future CAP if they did not know how much money was available.

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McGuinness calls for fully funded CAP ahead of EU budget vote

The European Parliament is to vote on its position on the EU's budget for the next seven years and Mairead McGuinness has said it must not include a cut to the CAP.