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The European institutions are still negotiating in trialogues to set a new form for the Common Agricultural Policy; in the section devoted to the CAP strategic plans, the topic of green architecture, including the setting of eco-schemes, is still discussed. Member States should make it compulsory to set up eco-schemes, but farmers could use them on a voluntary basis. Farmers should then be rewarded for fulfilling eco-schemes, i.e., for strengthening environmental and climate ambitions beyond mandatory cross-compliance. However, the European institutions cannot yet agree on what share of the envelope for the first pillar of the CAP should be allocated to eco-schemes. The European Parliament is pushing for 30% (€ 58.1 billion), the Council for 20% (€ 38.9 billion), the European Commission does not have an official opinion, but unofficially favours a higher allocation of at least 30%. Portugal is currently preparing a draft compromise text for eco-schemes under its presidency; according to unofficial information, Portugal could propose an allocation of 25%. However, this amount is problematic for both the Council and Parliament - during the October (2020) debate, there was a lot of pressure in the Council to support an allocation of less than 20%, while there was a clear pressure in Parliament to support more than 30%. The next trialogue on the CAP Strategic Plans will take place on 22/01/2021.

Some MEPs from various political groups are working to introduce new trade measures into the current CAP reform package. The new measures should help prevent the import of goods that do not meet the health and environmental standards applicable to EU production. New measures could be introduced under the CMO Regulation if approved. According to MEPs, agri-food production should only be imported from those third countries that comply with EU production rules. Corrective action should also be taken in case of misdemeanours. The next trialogue on the CMO regulation will take place on 27/01/2021.

Last week, Pascal Canfin (Renew, FR), Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), criticized the Council's position in the ongoing negotiations on the CAP reform trialogue. According to Canfin, approving the Council's position would lead to so-called greenwashing, that is, in essence, a mere media bubble created to convince the public of a positive environmental policy direction, although the reality is quite different. According to him, the Council's positions on environmental measures, including the eco-schemes currently being discussed, are particularly problematic; according to Canfin, the Council's position is insufficiently ambitious.

Last week, the European Parliament's committees discussed the EU Biodiversity Strategy, Representatives of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) also took part in the discussion. Humberto Delgado Rosa, representing DG AGRI, said in response to MEPs' comments that implementing the objectives of the new strategies (for biodiversity and Farm to Fork) would not lead to a slump in agri-food production or jeopardize food security. According to Delgado Rosa, the European Commission set targets based on scientific evidence and its own assessment of the situation; The representative also emphasized that, for example, the exclusion of 10% of agricultural land from production would have a positive impact on soil quality and health, and thus, in the future, on the strengthening of agricultural production.

The United Nations World Conference on Biodiversity will take place in China on 17-30 / 05/2021, with the participation of Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. Von der Leyen said last week that the European Commission would try to reach a global agreement on biodiversity protection during the conference. According to her, global support for biodiversity will provide access to food, water, and energy for billions of people.
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