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The trialogues of the European Parliament, the Council, and the European Commission on the text of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) agreed by the leaders of the Member States on 21/07/2020 are still going on without much success. The European Parliament is seeking changes in financial allocations, but also during the fifth trialogue, the Council did not submit to the European Parliament a proposal for changes to the MFF. An agreement on the MFF should be reached by the end of October to ensure a smooth continuation of the payment of financial support from the MFF from 01/01/2021.
More information is available here.

The largest political group in the European Parliament - the EPP - blames the second and third largest groups in the EP - S&D and Renew Europe - for slowing down negotiations on CAP reform due to the dissenting position of MEPs within those factions. According to the EPP, part of the S&D is mentally inclined in a very pro-environmental direction, welcoming the steps of the Commission's Executive Vice-President, Frans Timmermans. However, the second part of the S&D puts more emphasis on the protection of farmers. According to the EPP, the S&D coordinator for agricultural issues, Paolo de Castro (IT), belongs to the second group, while the shadow rapporteur for the CAP Strategic Plans, Maria Noichl (DE), belongs to the first. Opinions on the direction of S&D in the field of agriculture differ fundamentally between the two representatives, so reaching any agreement is complicated. Parliament should vote on the CAP in the week of 19/10/2020, and the EPP fears that hundreds of amendments could be tabled in plenary, following complications in other factions, which would in turn weaken Parliament's position in the trilogue negotiations.

Environmental organizations, including WWF and BirdLife, have called for a link between the objectives of Farm to Fork Strategy and the European Green Deal with the CAP. The organizations supported the transition to agri-organic farming and linking CAP payments to meeting the objectives of the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies. Last week, the environmental organization Greenpeace launched a questionnaire in which MEPs should comment on the future and required changes in livestock production in the EU. Greenpeace plans to publish the names of MEPs who do not take part in the survey on its website. Greenpeace's activity has already been opposed by Europe's largest agricultural organization, Copa and Cogeca, which called Greenpeace's approach blackmail. The European Parliament will vote on the CAP in plenary in the week of 19/10/2020.
More information is available here, the Greenpeace questionnaire for view here.

A total of eleven EU Member States - PL, CZ, SK, HU, HR, SI, LT, LV, EE, BG and RO - called on the European Commission last week to voluntarily implement the objectives set out in the Farm to Fork Strategy. The targets should be adapted to the realities of the Member State, taking into account inequalities in the payment of direct aids - according to the common position of these eleven countries, external convergence will not be achieved by 2027, which should be reflected. Last week, the European Commission launched negotiations with third countries to ensure that the Farm to Fork Strategy is adopted outside the European Union.

The European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety discussed climate targets with the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, on 28/09/2020. During September, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed her interest in strengthening the Commission's ambitions and raising the target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 55% by 2030. The European Parliament will even vote in plenary next week on a possible increase in ambitions to 60%. The 2030 target should help meet the main target of climate neutrality by 2050. According to Chinese officials, China should also achieve climate neutrality by 2060. According to Timmermans, the 2030 target should have been raised to 55%, because the current reduction in emissions has not been effective enough. The Commission is expected to present legislative proposals during June 2021. The Commission will also review the Union's greenhouse gas emission allowance trading scheme (ETS), as well as the revision of the framework for land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF). The Commission will also propose a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to motivate sectors to set their policies in the right direction. According to Timmermans, the main tools will include the Farm to Fork Strategy and the EU Biodiversity Strategy.
More information is available here.