News

On 16/04/2020, the European Commission adopted two measures to support the agri-food sector. The new measures aim at strengthening farmers' cash flow and reducing administrative burdens for farmers and national and regional authorities. The Commission has taken measures to increase advances of direct payments from 50% to 70% and for rural development payments from 75% to 86%, payments will be available to farmers from mid-October 2020. The Commission also strengthened the flexibility of Member States to pay farmers before completing all on-farm visits. In addition, under the second action taken, the Commission reduced the number of on-the-spot checks from 5% to 3%, and the flexibility of the timing of checks was also strengthened.
More information is available here, here and here.

On 16/04/2020, EU agriculture ministers sent a joint letter to the European Commission calling for support for the agri-food sector during the current coronavirus crisis. Ministers called on the Commission to introduce market measures, including a private storage regime, to strengthen Member States' flexibility in implementing measures under both pillars of the CAP, and to reduce on-the-spot checks. Similarly, a number of European agricultural organizations, including the European Dairy Association or the Copa and Cogeca agricultural organizations, have called on the Commission to introduce market measures, including a private storage regime, due to the fall in prices, especially for dairy products.

The European Commission has drafted its new working programme, the first version of which leaked into the Brussels media last week. According to the leaked version, the European Commission is considering further postponement of the Farm to Fork Strategy and the EU Biodiversity Strategy, both of which were initially to be submitted on 25/03/2020, but the deadline was postponed to 29/04/2020. The reason for the new postponement of the Farm to Fork Strategy is the Commission's effort to include in the Strategy proposal initiatives and actions related to the current COVID-19 pandemic and its further resolution, as well as the need to adjust the MFF for 2021-2027. According to some sources, the Farm to Fork Strategy could not be published until this autumn. The postponement of the Biodiversity Strategy is not yet clear, the Commission notes that the strategy is intricately linked to Farm to Fork, but according to the Commission its timing is still relevant. Any delay in the Biodiversity Strategy could only be short, possibly before the summer break, according to the Commission's new updated programme. There may also be some - unspecified - delay in the evaluation of the Directive on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides, the EU Animal Welfare Strategy, and the Evaluation of Authorization of Plant Protection Products and Maximum Pesticide Residue Limits. Delays could also occur with the Chemicals Sustainability Strategy, which is expected to be published this autumn. The postponement of the Farm to Fork Strategy is supported by a majority of the members of the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (apart from the Greens of S&D) and Europe's largest agricultural organization, Copa and Cogeca; on the other hand, environmental organizations, including WWF or Greenpeace, refuse further delay.
More information is available here and here.

On 15/04/2020, the Council adopted a common classification system - “taxonomy”, which will provide businesses and investors to refocus their investments on more sustainable technologies and businesses. The taxonomy fits into the European Union's plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The taxonomy should be established by the end of 2020, with individual parts to be implemented gradually between 2020-2022 The regulation now needs to be adopted by the European Parliament before it can be published in the Official Journal and enter into force.
More information is available here.

Agricultural organizations reported last week about the serious situation in Hungary regarding the spread of avian influenza on Hungarian territory. According to information from Hungarian agricultural organizations, dozens of new cases occur weekly, the situation is serious also due to the current COVID-19 pandemic - Hungary is focusing on coronavirus solutions, the spread of avian influenza is not currently perceived as a priority issue. Representatives warned against further deterioration of the situation.