The Record: Europe

22 November edition
Heidi Van de Velde
Producer

MEPs reject farm subsidy reforms

The Record Europe this week looks at the fight to reform Europe's controversial farming policy.

Agriculture ministers from EU member states wrangled in Brussels over ending expensive subsidies and revamping the Common Agricultural Policy for farmers.

Meanwhile, MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg were predicting the death of rural Europe and voting against most of the reforms.

Shirin Wheeler asks four MEPS why, and what might have happened if the European Parliament had real power on farming policy, as the Lisbon Treaty proposes:

• Neil Parish MEP, British Conservative and chair of the Parliament's agriculture committee
• Alain Lipietz MEP, French Green
• Brian Simpson MEP, British Labour
• Janusz Wojciechowski MEP, Polish centre-right

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Farm subsidies discussion in full

Also on the programme

Are EU member states interested in protecting fish or the fishing industry?

In advance of December's meeting to set next year's fishing quotas, Europe's fisheries ministers agreed a plan this week to rescue threatened stocks of cod.

EU fisheries ministers agree on cod

The plan is based on a scheme developed by the Scottish fishing industry which includes changes in net design and restrictions on fishing vessels' days at sea.

Shirin Wheeler speaks to two members of the European Parliament's Fisheries Committee:

• Ian Hudghton MEP, Scottish National Party
• Carl Schlyter MEP, Swedish Green

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The Record: Europe examines the key moments in the political week in Brussels and Strasbourg and focuses on the work of the European Parliament and European Commission.

It is broadcast on BBC Parliament on Saturdays at 2300 GMT, Sundays at 1700 GMT and Mondays at 1000 GMT, on BBC World on Saturdays at 1330 GMT and Sundays at 0630 GMT and on the BBC News channel on Sundays at 0530 GMT and Mondays at 0330 GMT.

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Presenter profile

Shirin Wheeler

Shirin Wheeler presents the weekly EU politics programme The Record: Europe from Brussels and Strasbourg.

She is based in the BBC's Brussels bureau. She was born in Berlin and educated in Washington DC, Brussels and Britain.

Shirin has been in Brussels since 1996, working mainly with BBC TV and radio.

During her time in Belgium she has also reported for BBC business programmes, local radio and regional TV. She has two daughters.