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On 11/06/2020, the European Commission published a study on financial needs in agriculture and the agri-food sector. According to the study, the agricultural sector will face an investment deficit in the range of € 19.8 to 46.6 billion, while the agri-food sector will face a deficit of € 12.8 billion. However, given the current coronavirus crisis, the financial deficit may widen further, according to the European Commission. The report shows that farmers in most countries face higher interest rates and financially less favourable conditions than businesses in other sectors of the economy, and that flexibility in lending to farmers and repaying loans is insufficient, according to the Commission. According to the Commission, large agricultural holdings have easier access to a wide range of financial resources, while the problem of financing significantly affects young farmers, small farmers and new farmers.
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On 11/06/2020, the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) approved a proposal for measures to provide exceptional temporary support under the EAFRD in response to the spread of COVID-19. The proposal includes the inclusion of exceptional temporary support for small and medium-sized enterprises active in the processing, marketing and / or development of agricultural products, which are particularly affected by the COVID-19 crisis. According to COMAGRI, the maximum amount of aid should not exceed € 7,000 per farmer (Commission proposes € 5,000) and € 50,000 per SME (in line with the Commission proposal), the aid should be paid by 30/06/2021 (Commission proposes payment by 31 / 12/2020). According to COMAGRI, support from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) provided under this measure should be limited to a maximum of 2% of the total EAFRD contribution to the rural development program (the Commission proposes 1%). The COMAGRI opinion has yet to be approved by the plenary of the European Parliament, which should take place as early as 17-19/06/2020.
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On 09/06/2020, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Janusz Wojciechowski, presented to the coordinators of the EP's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development a new possible crisis proposal to help the wine, fruit and vegetable sectors. The new measures could be officially introduced as early as July 2020. According to Wojciechowski, the Commission is considering increasing co-financing for promotion, green harvesting and restructuring; on financial allocations for crisis measures in the wine sector under the 2021 budget; to extend planting in 2020 until July 2021; and on launching crisis cartels measures.

Some MEPs called for an impact assessment of the possible ban on the use of glyphosate on farmers. The impact assessment was supported, for example, by Norbert Lins (EPP, DE), Hermann Tertsch (ECR, ES), but also Ville Niinistö (Greens, FI). The use of glyphosate in the EU is approved until 15/12/2022. Following the application for renewal of the glyphosate license after 2022 submitted by the glyphosate renewal group, the renewal evaluation process has now been formally launched. The group submitted an application on 12/12/2019; on 08/06/2020 it also provided a Risk Assessment and Assessment of glyphosate. The Glyphosate Evaluation Group (AGG), composed of representatives of FR, SE, HU and NL, can now start the scientific process of evaluating glyphosate and assessing its safety for human health and the environment. According to the European Food Safety Authority, the evaluation should also include an impact assessment in terms of food availability, biodiversity, farmers' incomes and available alternatives.
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The Committee for Risk Assessment preparing the opinions of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) supported the proposal to limit the deliberate addition of microplastics to fertilizers and other products in excess of 0.01% by weight. The proposal was supported in an effort to prevent the release of microplastics into nature. The ECHA Socio-Economic Analysis Committee has now launched a 60-day consultation, and a consolidated opinion of both committees should be available by the end of 2020.
More information is available here.