News

The European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) met on 30/11/2020 and 01/12/2020 to discuss three important topics: the CAP transition period, the study on the interconnection of the CAP and the European Green Deal; and recommendations from the Commission to Member States for the elaboration of national strategic plans. The rapporteur for the EP's transitional regulation report, Elsi Katainen (Renew, FI), informed about the informal agreement of the European institutions on the rules for the transitional period. This should last for two years, with support available from 2021. In its vote, COMAGRI approved the agreement for a transitional period. The agreement must now be formally approved by the plenary of the European Parliament and the Council during December 2020. An agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework is also awaited, with Hungary currently blocking the agreement. A study commissioned by the European Parliament on the link between the CAP and the European Green Deal was also discussed. The study was prepared by the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (INRAE, the study was presented in the European News of 29/11/2020). COMAGRI members described the report as political. The Greens' political faction in COMAGRI, on the other hand, supported the results of the study, but said the study was published too late. European Commission Representative Tassos Haniotis was also critical of the study, stating that the study did not reflect reality in the current context. On 01/12/2020, members of the Committee, together with Janusz Wojciechowski, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, discussed the Commission's forthcoming recommendations to Member States on national strategic plans. According to the Commissioner, the European Commission is now working on making recommendations to the Member States, the recommendations should be submitted in mid-December 2020. The recommendations will be prepared for each Member State separately, according to the Commissioner it will not be a binding document. The aim is to set up CAP plans to ensure a balance between economic, environmental, and social indicators. A total of 15 recommendations will be set for each Member State.

On 02/12/2020, the Commission launched a public consultation on improving EU rules on environmental protection through criminal law. The initiative aims to protect the environment through criminal law, appropriate sanctioning, and cross-border cooperation. The consultation is open until 30/12/2020, available here.

On 04/12/2020, the Commission launched a public consultation on a contingency plan for EU food supplies and food security. The initiative aims to create a contingency plan for food supply and security in the European Union as part of the Farm to Fork strategy. The consultation is open until 30/12/2020, available here.

Last week, the European agricultural think tank Farm Europe called on the European Commission to prepare an impact assessment for the Farm to Fork strategy and the EU Biodiversity Strategy. In particular, the impacts on production, prices, trade, and food security should be assessed. Think tank Farm Europe emphasized that so far, the only study on the impact of both strategies is a study by the US Department of Agriculture, according to which the implementation of Farm to Fork targets could lead to a drop in EU production by up to 12%, food prices in the EU by up to 17%, to a drop in EU farmers' incomes by 16%, or to a drop in EU exports by 20%, and vice versa, a strengthening of imports by 2%. The European Commission responded to Farm Europe's call, stating that impact assessments would be prepared, but did not provide a timetable.

Rapporteurs of the EP Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and the EP Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, are working together to draft the EP's first draft opinion on the Farm to Fork strategy. The draft opinion should be finalized on 11/12/2020 and presented in committees at the public hearing on 07/01/2021. It will then be possible to send amendments by 15/01/2020, with technical and shadow rapporteurs taking place during February and March. The committees should vote on the opinion in April 2021, and the opinion should be approved by the EP plenary in May.

On 04/12/2020, the European Commission launched a new European observatory for soil health monitoring in the EU. Among the objectives of the European Green Deal is the goal of ensuring that by 2030, 75% of land in the EU is in good condition and that this land can provide key ecosystem services. Another goal of the Green Deal is to achieve zero water, air, and soil pollution by 2030. The new observatory should provide the necessary data to monitor compliance with the objectives of the Green Deal, the main goal being to strengthen sustainable land management and halt soil degradation. The Observatory will be part of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC).
More information is available here.