EUROPE – The European Commission this week unveiled its plans on how to integrate new European Union members into its common agricultural policy (CAP).

Ten new countries, most of which are heavily agricultural, are expected to join the union in 2004, with dairy quotas for the countries to be based on average production from 1995-1999.

The Commission has proposed that the new countries operate under a simplified payments system for the first three years. It has also ruled that these payments can be supplemented national funds.

The proposals were immediately welcomed by the UK’s National Farmers’ Union (NFU), which said it was important the new member states did not receive preferential treatment.

Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary Cyprus and Malta are all expected to join the European Union in 2004.