News

On 28/09/2020, the European Commission authorized the use of genetically modified soy in food and feed. The authorization was preceded by a comprehensive authorization procedure, including an expert assessment by the European Food Safety Authority. Authorization to use genetically modified soy is valid for 10 years in the European Union.
More information is available here.

The European Commission could reverse the French government's decision to allow French farmers to use neonicotinoids in sugar beet fields. The Commission will submit for review 20 this year's decisions on the exceptional authorization of the use of neonicotinoids to protect sugar beet production from different EU countries. If the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) does not confirm the need to use these products, then authorizations for neonicotinoids will be revoked.

The European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety is threatening to disapprove the EU Member States' proposal to protect bees from the effects of pesticide use. The Committee considers the proposal to be less ambitious than previous ones. Committee members expressed concern that with the new proposal, member states could tolerate higher bee mortality than has been the case so far. In addition, the model does not consider solitary and wild bees or bumblebees. The Committee also called on the European Commission to step up communication with the Member States to ensure that the ambitions for the protection of pollinators in the current proposal are strengthened.

During the Council of Ministers on 21/09/2020, agriculture ministers discussed the CAP, green architecture (here), eco-schemes, support for protein crop production in the EU (here), and animal welfare labelling. The German Presidency confirmed its interest in reaching a general agreement in the Council on the CAP during October 2020, which was also generally welcomed by other ministers. Ministers also addressed the issue of nutrition labelling on the front of food packaging (here). The general part discussed the situation regarding the spread of African swine fever in Germany. Germany has supported mandatory eco-schemes with a minimum mandatory allocation of funds, and with enhanced flexibility for the first two years of implementing eco-schemes. With regard to cross-compliance, DE supported the extension of non-productive areas beyond the current 5%; according to DE, the cross-compliance rules should apply to all farmers without distinction (it did not support the exclusion of small farmers from cross-compliance). For environmental measures in the second pillar, 30% of the budget should be allocated, capping of direct payments should be voluntary, capping should be allowed for amounts below €100,000.

The discussion of the ministers also resulted in:

- Support for mandatory eco-schemes: IE, BG;
- Support for voluntary eco-schemes: HR, LT, LU, GR, HU, MT;
- Support for setting the minimum mandatory allocation for eco-schemes: ES, FR, PT, AT, NL;
- Rejection of setting the minimum mandatory allocation for eco-schemes: LU, IT, SK, HU, FI, RO;
- Support for the exclusion of small farmers from cross compliance: HR, PT, LU, EE, HU, PL, BG, MT, PL, RO, MT;
- Support for the exclusion of small farmers from the system of sanctions: GR, EE;
- Refusal to exclude small farmers from cross compliance: DE, LT, BE;
- Support for the inclusion of ANC areas in agri-environmental measures in the second pillar: FR, ES;
- Support for strengthening protein crop production in the EU, including the use of VCS payments: FR, HR, CY, CZ, GR, LV, LT, LU, PL, RO, SL, SK, ES, DK (in part);
- Support for increasing VCS payments: HU, SK, PL, CZ;
- Support for voluntary nutrition labelling on the front of packaging: IT, CZ, CY, EL, HU, LV, RO.

At the end of the meeting, the European Commission confirmed its interest in allocating up to 2% of the envelope for direct payments to support the production of protein crops, and also promised to carry out an impact assessment on nutrition labelling on the front of food packaging.
More information is available here.

The European Union will release €7.5 billion for the second pillar of the CAP as part of the EU's recovery plan following the COVID 19 crisis. Last week, MEPs held a debate in the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development on the use of these funds. The rapporteur for the EP's opinion on the recovery plan is Italian MEP Paolo de Castro (S&D), according to which up to 100% (but at least 2/3) of the funds should be linked to sustainability and digitalisation goals, 37% should be allocated to environmental and climate measures. According to De Castro, these funds should help the economic and social development of rural areas, digitization, the development of organic farming, the reduction of chemical pesticides, and better management of land and water resources. The remaining funds should be earmarked for investment, which should go to smart agriculture, precision agriculture, and the development of internet accessibility in rural areas. Some MEPs have expressed concern about delaying the actual payment of funds to farmers. Concerns were raised mainly because the discussion could have been completed much more quickly in the ongoing EP trialogues with the Council and the European Commission on the so-called Transitional Regulation. However, this option, proposed by the German Presidency, was rejected by the European Parliament. According to unofficial information, Paolo de Castro is currently seeking to release 50% of the amount during 2021, and 50% during 2022. Under its presidency, Germany supports the release of 30% in 2021 and 70% in 2022. In addition to the issue of the commitment of funds to climate and the environment, the main topics discussed will include the issue of the eligibility of expenditure on LFA payments and the level of co-financing by Member States.