News

German Minister of Agriculture Julia Klöckner plans to introduce a ban on the killing of male chickens in Germany by the end of 2021. Instead of killing males, Klöckner supports the identification of the sex of chickens while still in eggs (identification is sponsored by the Ministry) or the consumption of female and male chickens.
More information is available here and here.

On 17/07/2020, the scientific journal AAAS published a study on soybean production in Brazil and its export to the EU. According to the results of the study, the production of up to a one-fifth of Brazilian soybeans intended for EU markets is causally linked to illegal deforestation - according to the study, it is 18-22%. Brazil is the second largest supplier of soybeans to EU markets after the USA. The process of approving a trade agreement with Mercosur, including Brazil, is ongoing.
More information is available here.

Following complaints from NGOs, European Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly has launched an inquiry into the European Commission's actions in negotiating a trade agreement with Mercosur. It will focus mainly on presenting a draft trade agreement before finalizing the updated version of the Sustainability Impact Assessment, whereby the Commission has not considered its own guidelines for the use of the Impact Assessment. The Commission must now comment in writing on the situation and defend its action.
More information is available here.

On 10/07/2020, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, presented a revised proposal for the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework and the recovery instrument Next Generation EU (NGEU). Based on the proposals presented by the Commission on 27/05/2020, the aim of the revisions is to reach an agreement on the budget with the countries that have so far refused to increase it. The allocation for the EU's Next Generation EU (NGEU) plan remains an allocation of €750 billion (€250 billion in loans, €500 billion in grants). According to Charles Michel's revised proposal, the Multiannual Financial Framework could amount to €1.074 trillion, €26 billion less than proposed by the Commission in May. The budget reduction will not affect the CAP allocation, but Charles Michel proposes to reduce the allocation for Horizon Europe (€5 billion less) or InvestEU (€10 billion less). According to Michel, the repayment of the loans should start in 2026, the Commission proposed 2028 in May. Under the new own resources chapter, Charles Michel continues to count on the taxation of non-recycled plastic waste, which should be taxed from 01/01/2021. Michel expects a tax of 0.80 eurocents per kilo. The new revised proposal will be discussed by the leaders of the EU member states at the Summit on 17-18 / 07/2020.
More information is available here.

On 09/07/2020, the EP Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (COMENVI) confirmed its lack of interest in continuing the joint negotiations on the CAP Strategic Plans with the EP Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI). Negotiations should now take place at the level of political factions, which will weaken COMAGRI's role in shaping Parliament's position on the CAP. COMAGRI offered COMENVI a joint meeting on the CAP, to be held on 14/07/2020. However, COMENVI also rejected this option.