PARIS, Dec 10 (Reuters) - A Group of 22 European Union countries on Tuesday called for an "ambitious" new farm policy within the bloc to face global food and climate challenges.
The joint statement was made at the end of a meeting of the G22 to discuss the renewal of the EU farm policy, or Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which is due to be renewed in 2013.
French Farm Minister Bruno Le Maire also said budget issues were not discussed by the group.
The European Union's executive arm is mulling a radical overhaul of the bloc's budget - now worth 125 billion euros ($184 billion) annually -- that would shift spending away from agriculture towards innovation, climate and energy. (Reporting by Gus Trompiz, Writing by Marie Maitre, editing by Anthony Barker)