The Common Agricultural Policy - a lesson in how it works.

This, from the EU's site:

The Spanish delegation briefed the ministers about the current difficult market situation facing the olive oil sector. Prices for olive oil were at their lowest level for several years and there were still many stocks present on the market at the beginning of this marketing year. This was leading to losses for producers in several member states. The Spanish request to the Commission to activate the optional aid for the private storage of olive oil (article 31 of regulation 1234/2007) is supported by several other member states, in particular those producing olive oil.

Well knock me down with the proverbial - producer special pleading followed by a demand that someone else should bail them out.  


And the CAP ain't going away any time soon:

The Presidency conclusions are the result of a detailed analysis by the member states of the policy orientations outlined in the Commission communication as part of the institutional debate on the CAP towards 2020. In short they.....make clear that the CAP should remain a strong common policy in the future, and acknowledge that the future CAP budget will be established by the European Council.

And this delightful little nugget too:

[it] note[d] significant opposition to the possibility of an upper ceiling for large individual farms.