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The European institutions continue to negotiate a reform of the Common Agricultural Policy in trilogue negotiations between Parliament, the Council, and the Commission. The trilogues were launched in November 2020, during the German Presidency. The European institutions have so far dealt only with green architecture issues with a focus on eco-schemes and cross-compliance (including the rules for good agricultural and environmental condition of the soil - GAEC). Since January 2021, Portugal has taken over the presidency of the Council from Germany. Portugal has included CAP negotiations among its presidency priorities, and Portugal would like to reach an interinstitutional agreement in April, May 2021 at the latest. In addition to CAP reform, the PT will focus on rural depopulation issues (the Commission should publish a long-term vision for Europe's rural areas in the first half of 2021) and on the recovery of the agricultural sector during and after the coronavirus crisis. In the field of reconstruction, PT will focus specially on strengthening climate and environmental protection, and on digitization.
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The European Parliament's Committees on the Environment (COMENVI) and on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) continue to work on a joint opinion on the Farm to Fork Strategy. The first discussion in the Committees should take place on 25-26/01/2021, it should be possible to send amendments by 02/02/2021. A public hearing is then scheduled for 04/02/2021, with a vote on the opinion in the Committees scheduled for 19-25/04/2021. The EP plenary should then vote on Parliament's opinion in May or June 2021. In the working version of the Committee's common position dated 17/12/2020, committee rapporteurs (COMAGRI: Herbert Dorfmann - EPP, IT; COMENVI: Anja Hazekamp - GUE/NGL, NL) supported the move towards sustainable food systems in the EU and the implementation of impact assessments of the legal framework for sustainable food systems. The rapporteurs also supported the revision of legislation on the sustainable use of pesticides as well as the introduction of reduction targets for pesticides (50%), fertilizers (20%) and antibiotics (50%). Agri-economic practices, for example, should help meet these objectives. In the area of livestock production, the rapporteurs call for the introduction of regulatory measures and targets to ensure a gradual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. According to the latest version of the document, intensive and industrial agriculture, and agricultural models with negative impacts on biodiversity should not be financed from climate protection funds, nor should they be supported in the long term. The rapporteurs in the proposal support the strengthening of protein crop production in the EU to reduce dependence on imports from third countries. National strategic plans should support, inter alia, short supply chains and the production of quality food. The rapporteurs also supported the strengthening of the role of cooperatives and the implementation of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. The draft opinion further supports the establishment of nutritional profiles of food and welcomes the Commission's commitment to revise the legislation on food contact materials. According to the draft opinion, nutrition labelling for food alone will not be effective in ensuring sustainable production and consumption, and the rapporteurs emphasize that the success of these measures depends to a large extent on consumer choice. However, they call for the introduction of a Europe-wide mandatory nutrition labelling system on the front of food packaging, but this system should be based on independent scientific evidence. The rapporteurs also supported the shift to a healthy and plant-based diet, with less red and processed meat, sugar, fat, and salt consumed. The volume of food waste should be reduced by 30% by 2025 and by 50% by 2030 (compared to 2014), these targets should be binding according to the proposal.

The European Parliament's Committees on the Environment (COMENVI) and on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) continue to work on drafting opinions on the EU Biodiversity Strategy. The COMENVI plans a public hearing and presentation of its draft opinion on 14/01/2021, and amendments to this proposal could then be tabled by 22/01/2021. The vote on the COMENVI opinion should take place on 23/03/2021, the vote in plenary in April 2021. The COMAGRI plans a debate on 11/01/2021, amendments to the COMAGRI proposal could be sent from 13/01/2021 to 18/01/2021. The vote on the COMAGRI opinion should take place on 04/03/2021. In its draft opinion, COMENVI welcomes the objectives of enhanced protection of natural areas (30% of the area) and the objectives of strict protection of natural areas (10%) and supports the objectives of strengthening organic farming to 25% of agricultural land and securing 10% of agricultural land for non-production elements. According to COMENVI, both agricultural objectives should be legally binding, as well as reduction targets for pesticides (50%) and fertilizers (20%). In its proposal, COMENVI also calls for enhanced protection of pollinators and a revision of the EU Initiative for Pollinators of 2019. EU funding of programs and initiatives should follow the rules of the new Taxonomy (sustainable funding) and the "do no harm" principle, with at least 10% of the Multiannual Financial Framework should be set aside for the protection of biodiversity. COMENVI also proposes a revision of the environmental taxation system and its enhanced implementation.

On 04/01/2021, the Commission initiated feedback on the conditions of use of biochar fertilizers. The initiative aims to set conditions for the use of fertilizers from updated EU regulations, which will apply from 16/07/2022. The consultation is open until 01/02/2021, available here.

On 04/01/2021, the Commission launched feedback on the conditions of use of fertilizers - thermal oxidation materials. The initiative aims to set conditions for the use of fertilizers from updated EU regulations, which will apply from 16/07/2022. The consultation is open until 01/02/2021, available here.

On 04/01/2021, the Commission initiated feedback on the conditions of use of fertilizers - precipitated phosphate salts. The initiative aims to set conditions for the use of fertilizers from updated EU regulations, which will apply from 16/07/2022. The consultation is open until 01/02/2021, available here.

On 05/01/2021, the Commission launched feedback on composite food and drink products exempted from official controls at EU borders in the framework of food safety. The initiative will expand the list of exemptions for foreign composite food products (e.g., lasagne, ham pizza and cream liqueurs) that will be exempted from controls on EU food standards. The consultation is open until 02/02/2021, available here.

As of 24/12/2020, France had confirmed a total of 18 outbreaks of avian influenza in six French departments - 7 in Corsica, 7 in Landes, and one case each in Vendée, Hautes-Pyrénées, and Yvelines, and Deux-Sèvres. In the French prefecture of Landes, 40,000 ducks from 25 farms had to be killed for precautionary reasons, and other poultry that were not protected in the interior within a radius of one kilometre from the outbreak.
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