On 7 February, round two of the EU Budget negotiations begins. For those of you that have not been following this saga, 27 Heads of State need to agree how to spend about a trillion Euros over the 2014-2020. Their meeting next week is the latest attempt to thrash out a deal. The last time they met, the bits of the Budget that offer the best value for taxpayers money and supported the environment, seemed to be most at risk of being traded away.
Our major concern remains the fate of funding which supports wildlife-friendly farming (the so-called Pillar II of the Common Agriculture Policy). This provides a lifeline for species such as turtle dove and cirl bunting as well as supporting farmers to deliver environmental public goods which the market doesn’t reward.
We've produced this short video to explain the significance of the Budget:
We hope that it inspires people to contact the Prime Minister and give him a clear message to agree a Budget that works for wildlife.
Martin,went to Arne today and just like every time I go to any RSPB reserve and especially on Mull which might really just as well be a reserve I think how lucky I am and what a wonderful job you do.Then I see how much you want to change things like wildlife crime and the CAP and I really feel for you and RSPB who are fighting overwhelming odds,history makes me think you are right but that it will be a very long fight,perhaps even all this century.