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Last week, the European Commission published a new updated Commission Work Plan for the coming weeks, proposing postponing the presentation of the two expected strategies, which were originally to be published on 25/03/2020. Both the Farm to Fork Strategy and the European Biodiversity Strategy should now be submitted with a monthly delay on 29/04/2020, according to the latest information. The report on the impacts of the Common Agricultural Policy on biodiversity has also been postponed, and environmental NGOs have been required to publish it for several months. The Farm to Fork Strategy has already undergone an internal consultation within the European Commission, and the comments of the individual cabinets are now incorporated into the latest proposals. Europe's largest agricultural organization, Copa-Cogeca, stressed that the delays in the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy must not lead to further delays in discussing and approving the reform of the CAP beyond 2020.
More information is available here, here and here.

According to the unofficial Farm to Fork Strategy proposal of March 2020, the Commission is now shifting its attention to livestock production but could also set targets for reducing high-risk pesticides. The European Commission states in the proposal that European agriculture is responsible for 11% of the greenhouse gases produced in the EU, of which 11% account for most greenhouse gases from animal production (60% of the total 11%). In this context, the European Commission proposes to simplify the placing on the EU market of innovative feed additives, to strengthen the rules on the replacement of certain types of feed (moving away from soya from deforested areas), and to review the rules of EU promotion programs to enhance their contribution to sustainable production and consumption . The Commission also adds that the rules for the payment of coupled support should be reviewed in detail and adjusted to help strengthen the sustainability of the supported sectors. The Commission further states that it sets a percentage target (number is not yet known) to reduce the volume of pesticides in use and the risks associated with their use, and further states that it sets a percentage reduction target for high-risk pesticides by 2030. The Commission continues to set a percentage target for reducing the volume of fertilizers and antibiotics used by 2030, to strengthen animal welfare, including emphasis on rules on live animal transport and welfare labelling, and to introduce a percentage target for increasing the area of farmed land under organic farming.

With regard to the food part of the Farm to Fork Strategy proposal, the Commission states that it will establish new nutritional profiles that will prohibit the promotion (through nutrition or health claims) of foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt. The Commission could also consider setting maximum levels for salt, saturated fats and sugar in certain processed foods. The Commission further states that current consumption patterns are neither environmentally nor health sustainable. In this context, the Commission stresses that while energy intake and consumption of meat, sugar, salt and fat continue to exceed nutritional recommendations, the consumption of whole grain cereals, fruits, vegetables, fish and nuts is insufficient. Given the increase in obesity, the Commission adds that moving away from eating habits from the preference for animal products towards plant-based alternatives will reduce the risk of life threatening diseases such as cancer, but will also reduce the environmental footprint of the food sector. In the Research and Innovation section, the Commission is proposing to focus on the development of alternative protein sources (plant proteins, marine proteins, microbial proteins or insects). The Commission's original intention to introduce mandatory nutrition labelling on the front of the food packaging remains valid, the country of origin mandatory labelling should be extended to milk and meat and milk used as ingredients in food. The Commission should also develop a comprehensive labelling system including nutrition, climate and environmental information.

On 17/02/2020, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the Roadmap of the Farm to Fork Strategy; the consultation was initially open by 16/03/2020, but the Commission eventually extended the deadline to 20/03/2020. 653 responses from a total of 26 Member States of the European Union (except Slovenia and Luxembourg), European interest organizations and national or regional institutions were sent for consultation by the deadline. A total of 140 contributions were submitted to the consultation by various European organizations including Copa-Cogeca (ensuring adequate budget, rejection of percentage reduction targets) or organizations representing organic farmers IFOAM (supporting the achievement of 20% of farmed land under organic farming by 2030). Representatives of environmental organizations most often called for a reduction in the consumption and production of animal products, including meat, milk, dairy products, eggs and fish (some of the contributions called for a reduction of up to 70% by 2030 and 80% by 2050); reduction or total elimination of pesticides (up to 80% reduction by 2030 in the case of reduction); promotion of organic farming (including the target of 50% of the area under organic farming by 2030 or the amendment of the CAP subsidy system so that aid is paid only to organic farmers and those who are switching to the organic farming scheme); and the strengthening of animal welfare (most often it was supported to stop the transport of live animals over distances longer than 8 hours, or to support the ban on cage farming). It also resisted criticism of intensive / industrial agriculture in the European Union. Farmers called for the establishment of Farm to Fork targets on a scientific basis; carrying out a risk assessment for each of the Farm to Fork objectives; refusal to set percentage targets; rejection of budget cuts; supporting the strengthening of farmers' incomes, and supporting the reflection of regional disparities in setting Farm to Fork objectives. Farmers also rejected the mandatory capping; promote the competitiveness and economic sustainability of the sector; stress the role of livestock production not only in a balanced diet, but also in the context of soil management; and drew attention to the strict rules applicable to European farmers, while the same rules do not apply to imports of commodities and food from third countries.

The Council of Ministers of Agriculture, originally scheduled for 23/03/2020, was cancelled due to the spread of coronavirus, replaced by a ministerial video conference to be held on 25/03/2020. The last Council of Ministers of Agriculture took place in January, and the next regular meeting should take place in April, if possible, with respect to coronavirus. There is therefore a risk that the Council will not be able to reach an agreement on the European Union budget and the Common Agricultural Policy after 2020 until summer 2020. Copa-Cogeca, Europe's largest agricultural organization, have been given the opportunity to speak during a videoconference of agriculture ministers.
The European Parliament also published its updated calendar - all Parliament's plenary sessions have been shortened and moved to Brussels until September 2020, with most other negotiations taking place remotely. Therefore, even in the European Parliament, it is now unclear whether it will be possible to reach an agreement on the CAP by July, as was originally planned.
More information is available here and here.