News

In a midnight statement to the Council on 20/10/2020, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Janusz Wojciechowski welcomed the outcome of the vote in the European Parliament, specifically supporting the allocation of 30% of the first pillar for eco-schemes. This opinion is more ambitious than the one discussed by the Council, so he called for reflection on Parliament's position in the Council's position as well. A general agreement on the CAP was reached in the Council on 21/10/2020 at 4 am after 45 hours of negotiations, the agreement was adopted by a qualified majority (Lithuania opposed it due to disagreement with the 20% allocation for eco-schemes, considering this share too high). Latvia, Romania, and Bulgaria were abstained). By approving the agreement, the Council also approved a mandate to negotiate the CAP in trialogue with the other European institutions. The Council has not changed its position on the genuine farmer, the implementation of this definition should continue to be based on the principle of voluntariness. Nor has it changed the position on coupled support, so the official position of the Council is 13 + 2% for VCS. Changes have taken place on the issue of capping direct payments - The Council continues to support voluntary capping only for basic income support for sustainability, with the voluntary possibility for Member States to reduce direct payments from €60,000 through degressivity. The possibility of voluntary deduction of labour costs was also retained. However, a new paragraph has been added stating that where farmers are part of a group of joint legal entities, as to be determined by the Member States, Member States may apply the capping referred to in paragraphs 1 (€100,000) or 1a (degressivity from €60,000) to at the level of this group under conditions to be determined by the Member States. As regard to the eco-schemes, the Council supported its previous position - it should be a mandatory instrument, with an allocation of 20% of the budget for the first pillar. According to the Council's opinion, a two-year transitional period, the so-called pilot phase, should be introduced for eco-schemes, which would allow the transfer of unused funds towards other specific environmental and climate objectives. Eco-schemes could include precision agriculture, agroforestry, and organic farming. However, Member States should also be able to propose their own measures to reflect the specific situations in the Member States. Within the second pillar, 30% of the budget should be allocated to agri-environmental measures. Within GAEC 9 (non-production elements), a limit of 10 hectares of arable land was set, the limit of up to 10 hectares is also valid for GAEC 8. Ministers also agreed to extend the scheme for authorization of vine planting, until 31/12/2040.

The Agriculture Ministers and their representatives adopted the Council's opinion on the Farm to Fork Strategy unanimously on 19/10/2020. Representatives of the Member States called for the achievements of the national targets to reflect the achievements already made in the Member States. They also emphasized the need to ensure a fair income for primary producers, setting Farm to Fork objectives based on specific situations in the Member States, reflecting different starting positions. At the same time, they emphasized the establishment of objectives on a scientific basis, and above all the assessment of the impacts of the entire Strategy. Member States' representatives further supported the submission of legislative proposals on sustainable food systems by the end of 2023 at the latest. They called for food safety, food security, and consumer health to be ensured and strengthened. The role of farmers, their cooperatives and producer organizations in the food supply chain should be strengthened. In the text of the Farm to Fork Strategy, the European Commission has set a target of reducing the use of pesticides and reducing the risks associated with their use by 50%, fertilizers by 20%, and veterinary antibiotics by 50%. According to agriculture ministers, these objectives need to be based on science-based integrated pest management measures, and support for the use of sustainable alternatives should be strengthened. The Commission has also proposed extending the area of organic farming to 25% of agricultural land by 2030. According to Member States' representatives, the Commission should examine whether other farming practices are not helping the environment and climate to the same extent as organic farming. According to the new Council opinion, harmonized rules should be laid down for food contact materials. For nutrition labelling for foods, the Commission should first carry out an impact assessment, which will assess the benefits of labelling for consumers and producers, as well as the impact of labelling on the EU single market. Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides has promised Member States that the different starting positions of Member States will be reflected in setting targets and that all Commission legislative proposals related to Farm to Fork targets will be accompanied by impact assessments.

During their speeches, Ministers and their representatives supported:

Reflections on different starting positions of Member States: SK, IE, SI, MT, HU, LT
The strategy must not create barriers to international trade: SE, FR, BE, HU
Supporting the reflection of national food labelling systems: DK
Country of origin labelling of foodstuffs must not create barriers in the single market: DK
Rejection of simplified nutrition labelling schemes for food: IT
Promoting a fair income for farmers: ES, PT
Support for maintaining EU competitiveness: RO, CZ, PL, BG
Support for the revision of animal welfare legislation: LU
Support for the implementation of impact assessments: LU, CZ, AT, BG, HU, SE, IE, ES, RO
Warning against the threat of a drop in production and rising food prices: CZ
Support for short supply chains: HR
The Czech Republic and Hungary have also submitted a Farm to Fork declaration, in which they describe the objectives of the Strategy as ambitious, emphasizing the parties' concerns about the negative impact of the strategy on competitiveness and production in the EU. The declarations call for impact assessments to be carried out and for a reflection on the different starting positions of the Member States.
More information is available here.

On 23/10/2020, EU environment ministers adopted a Council opinion on an EU biodiversity strategy. Ministers generally welcomed the strategy but called for an impact assessment to be carried out on all legislative proposals that should follow the strategy. The Council did not include in its opinion comments on the individual objectives of the strategy (e.g. 10% of agricultural land for non-productive elements), but Hungary emphasized that some of the objectives presented by the European Commission were unrealistic, and the fulfilment of some other objectives could lead to a disproportionate burden at Member State level. In their opinion, Member States expressed concerns about global biodiversity loss, highlighting the fact that protecting, conserving and restoring biodiversity and healthy and well-functioning ecosystems will help strengthen our resilience and prevent the emergence and spread of new diseases. In its conclusions, the Council formally called on the Commission to incorporate the objectives of EU biodiversity policy into relevant future legislative proposals, including in the areas of sustainable food production, agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. The Council also emphasized that the new European biodiversity governance framework must respect the principle of subsidiarity and that all relevant proposals should be prepared and developed in cooperation with the Member States. The Council also calls on the Commission to present detailed targets for the protection of pollinators. A total of 30% of the EU budget and EU Next Generation EU spending on climate action should be invested in biodiversity and near-biodiversity-friendly solutions.
The European Commission estimates that around €20 billion a year will need to be allocated to meet the objectives of the EU Biodiversity Strategy, but according to environmental organizations, including the WWF, this allocation will not be enough.
More information is available here and here.

On 23/10/2020, EU environment ministers reached agreement on a partial general approach of the Council to EU climate legislation (European Climate Law). The Council's position follows the European Commission's goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2030. The Council supported climate neutrality by 2050 but has not yet reached agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The European Commission proposes 55%, the European Parliament even 60%. The Council will discuss this issue during the December Council. As regard to achieving climate neutrality, The Council emphasizes the importance of promoting fairness and solidarity between Member States as well as cost-effectiveness. Although the Council has not yet reached an opinion on reducing emissions by 2030, in a partial general approach, the Council asks the Commission to propose an interim emission reduction target for 2040 (in line with the European Parliament's opinion). According to the Council, the European Climate Law should be evaluated every six months, and the Commission could, if necessary, submit proposals to amend this Law. According to the Council, the Commission should also carry out an impact assessment for all legislative proposals.
More information is available here and here.

On 19/10/2020, the European Commission adopted an updated work programme for 2021 containing new legislative initiatives. Under the European Green Deal, the Commission will present a new Fit for 55 Strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, covering a wide range of policy areas, including renewables, land use, energy taxation, emissions trading and carbon border adjustment mechanism, biodiversity or toxic substances. The Commission will also present action plans to minimize the risks of deforestation and forest degradation in third countries associated with products placed on the EU market; or plans for zero water, air, and soil pollution. The Commission will also propose concrete measures to help implement the circular economy action plan, the EU Biodiversity Strategy, and the Farm to Fork Strategy. The Commission will also present clearly defined 2030 targets for internet and digital public services in a Europe for the digital age strategy.
More information is available here and here.