News

In the week after 19/10/2020, the European Parliament will vote on amendments regulating the use of names traditionally used for meat and meat products as well as for their plant-based substitutes. French Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie supported the speedy adoption of a proposal to ban the labelling of plant-based alternatives with the same names as traditional meat products. In addition, Copa and Cogeca, Europe's largest agricultural organization, say the use of the same labelling will confuse consumers. Environmental organizations, on the other hand, are calling on Parliament to allow the same designations to be used for both traditional meat products and plant-based substitutes. The organizations therefore sent a letter to MEPs asking for support.
Opinion of Copa and Cogeca available here, letter from environmental organizations here.

On 05/10/2020, the European Commission issued a report on a short-term overview of the agricultural market in the EU. According to the report, the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the agri-food sector will be limited compared to other sectors. The main observable factors are the growing demand for local food, the use of short supply chains, and the purchase of food online. Milk and meat prices have recovered, and oil and protein crop production is estimated to increase. The exceptions are cereals and sugar, which have suffered from unfavourable conditions for growing crops.
More information is available here.

The German Ministry of Agriculture reported further cases of the finding of wild boar infected with African swine fever (ASF) last week in the Brandenburg region. The total number of cases has risen to 55. Commercial pig farms have not yet been affected. The Association of German Agricultural and Food Cooperatives (DRV) warns of a deteriorating market situation due to the combination of Covid-19, ASF, and a reduction in slaughter capacity. The DRV Association calls for the possibility of temporarily lifting the ban on working on Sundays and extending working hours so that it is possible to deal with the surplus of pigs. According to a new Commission forecast, pork exports from the EU will fall by 10% next year due to the ASF outbreak in Germany.
More information is available here, here and here.

On 06/10/2020, the French parliament approved a bill allowing exemptions from the ban on the use of neonicotinoids. The law, approved by a vote of 313 for and 158 against, will allow sugar beet growers to introduce neonicotinoids into the coating of beet seeds and thus fight against sugar beet diseases. The bill will now be submitted to the Senate. At the same time, on 08/10/2020, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that France had the right to ban 5 neonicotinoids in 2018, although not all were banned at EU level.
More information is available here and here.

With the launch of the last round of formal talks between the United Kingdom and the EU on their future relations on 02/10/2020, it ended without success, although both parties further declare their interest in concluding an agreement. At the same time, both parties are preparing for the possibility that no timely agreement will be reached. The UK government has published a document containing information on the model situation of border operations and the transport of various goods, explaining the additional requirements for exporters and importers of animal products, pesticides, plants and other goods since January 2021, after the Brexit transition period. The Country Land and Business Association warns that the imposition of tariffs could lead to the collapse of the industry, such as the lamb sector being critically endangered.
More information is available here and here.