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The United Kingdom published its negotiating position for negotiations with the EU on 27/02/2020. The United Kingdom continues to insist on EU-UK trade conditions that the European Union has with Canada or New Zealand. But the British government refuses to have national laws comply with EU law. The United Kingdom could seek a comprehensive free trade agreement with the EU and maintain the standards of sanitary and phytosanitary measures. The National Farmers' Union (NFU) The NFU expressed concern about future relations with the US in the context of the upcoming trade agreement negotiations, the NFU fears that Britain will open borders to products and food that are not subject to the same high requirements as local products in order to secure trade agreements with the rest of the world, which could jeopardize the competitiveness of domestic production.
More information is available here.

Extraordinary meeting of the European Council of Prime Ministers and Heads of Member States took place in Brussels on 20-21/02/2020; the Council discussed the shape of the future Multiannual Financial Framework (EU budget) after 2020. Although the President of the European Council Charles Michel has bilaterally negotiated with Member States' representatives in recent weeks, the Council has not reached an agreement, and negotiations will therefore continue in March 2020 (26-27/03/2020). In terms of the proposed CAP budget, many representatives of organizations and European institutions expressed dissatisfaction with the budget - according to Norbert Lins (DE, EPP), Chair of AGRI Committee, Charles Michel's proposal for the CAP is still over EUR 50 billion lower, than the current budget level. In the context of the new European Green Deal, Lins supported an increase in the budget to at least the current level, and the president of Renew Europe Dacian Ciolos (RO) also expressed a similar spirit. Copa and Cogeca, Europe's largest agricultural organization, also rejected budget cuts for the new CAP compared to the current situation, and representatives of the Irish agricultural organization called on their representatives to reject the draft European budget for the next seven years during the February Council meeting. External convergence also showed inconsistency - LV, LT, EE and PL supported its rapid achievement, while IT or CY opposed it.
More information is available here, here, here and here.

The proposal by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, to introduce a plastic tax of 80 cents per kilogram of non-recycled plastic packaging could generate up to € 6.6 billion per year according to Commission calculations. EU Member States vary widely in recycling rates, from 74% in Lithuania to 24% in Malta, therefore a maximum contribution rate should be set, and in countries with less recycling rates a mechanism should be put in place to prevent unduly regressive impact on national contributions. According to the Commission, the tax on plastics is the least controversial option to offset the decline in available funds after the UK's departure from the EU.
Plan of the European Council is available here.

Farmers from a number of EU Member States protested on 20/02/2020 in Brussels to ensure an adequate budget and a balanced level of direct payments per hectare under the new CAP. Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš said that there are significant differences across European countries in the level of direct payments per hectare, so the rules regarding the functioning of all Member States in the EU single market are not fair. Farmers from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia therefore supported the achievement of external convergence (equalization of direct payments) by 2027 in their protest. However, farmers from Belgium, Ireland, Spain and Italy also protested against the CAP budget cuts. Representatives of the Spanish organization representing young farmers ASAJA stated that it is first and foremost necessary to focus on ensuring an adequate level of the CAP budget, not on the external convergence of direct payments; representatives of the Belgian Boerenbond also refused to move further towards external convergence.
More information is available here and here.

On 17/02/2020, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the Roadmap for the Farm to Fork Strategy. This time, the public consultation is not based on answers to specific questions; the aim is to get feedback from all stakeholders on the initial targeting of the Strategy. According to the Commission’s Roadmap, food systems contribute significantly to air and water pollution, and to climate change; agriculture must be more sustainable in terms of the volume of chemicals used; and consumers must be informed about the nutritional value of foods in order to facilitate the choice of healthier foods. So far, 21 responses have been sent to the consultation, many of which have been added anonymously. According to the European Coordination via Campesina (ECVC), representing small European farmers, the success of Farm to Fork Strategy and the European Green Deal depends on a fundamental reform of the CAP and on trade policy with third countries; European Organisation of Agricultural, Rural and Forestry Contractors (CEETTAR) proposes to strengthen the role of entrepreneurs and suppliers throughout the chain. Some of the anonymous contributions mention too high production and consumption of meat and dairy products (contribution from Ireland); reducing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting biodiversity or enhancing carbon sequestration (Belgium); but also propose ambitious targets, such as achieving 50% of the total farmland managed under organic and agro-ecological farming by 2050, reducing all synthetic pesticides by 80% by 2030 and eliminating them completely by 2050, or a commitment to abandon cages. The public consultation is open until 16/03/2020.
More information is available here.