News

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.

Germany has confirmed further cases of African swine fever (ASF), and ASF continues to be confirmed only in the previously affected area of Brandenburg. As of 23/10/2020, all 91 cases had been confirmed in feral pigs. The German Ministry of Agriculture supports the construction of fencing on the Polish side to create a "white zone" in which no wild boar would occur. Minister of Agriculture Julie Klöckner provided financial support from the EU in the form of co-financing of measures to support the eradication of the disease and the construction of a fence. Commercial pig farms in Germany have not yet been affected.
More information is available here.

Last week, political factions and groups of MEPs tabled new amendments to the various CAP reform packages. A total of 1358 amendments were tabled to the CAP Strategic Plans, 726 of which are opinions approved by the AGRI Committee in April 2019. Thus, more than 600 amendments were newly tabled. Some of them were submitted within the compromises of political factions (EPP, S&D, Renew), some of them were submitted by political factions without the support of other factions. Amendments could also be tabled by groups of at least 38 MEPs. A total of 303 amendments were tabled to the CAP horizontal regulation (206 of which were adopted by the AGRI Committee in 2019), and 281 amendments were tabled to the Common Market Organization (228 of which were in 2019). The plenary will vote on the amendments from Wednesday to Friday 21-23/10/2020, it is not yet clear whether it will be possible to complete the vote by this deadline. According to Copa and Cogeca, there is a danger of postponing the vote on one of the packages (probably to the Common Market Organization) to the November plenary. This would delay the start of trialogue negotiations between the European Parliament, the Commission, and the Council. The EU Council could adopt an opinion on the CAP as early as 19/10/2020 at the planned ministerial meeting in Luxembourg.
Amendments to individual packages are available here, here and here, EP plenary program here.