madam president i congratulate and thank all colleagues in bringing us to a successful conclusion today
but i would echo colleagues disappointment that we could have gone a bit further and been a bit more ambitious but let us remember that the health check was only ever about a health check the fundamental reform will come later and that is what we need to focus on today
as we look towards twenty thirteen there is certainly a lot to do because we have a common agricultural policy that like any good compromise leaves nobody particularly happy
so i pick up on neil parish's comments and mr pieper's also that we need to look towards the future about what the common agricultural policy is designed to achieve
we need to bring the reform of the structural funds particularly into this discussion because the cap as it stands is overcomplicated convoluted and difficult to get public support for whereas the structural funds would be a much cheaper more effective way to deliver public environmental goods
we need to remember that the cap is about the provision of direct support to producers of quality local food
if we remember that we will not go far wrong
that is the big prize and today is a step on the road towards that
