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On 03/02/2020, the European Commission adopted a decision requiring Lithuania and Romania to comply with EU restrictions on the granting of unjustified special orders for the use of neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam). Both Lithuania and Romania are among the 7 Member States (together with BG, HU, FI, LV, and ES), which have repeatedly granted special authorizations for the use of neonicotinoids. According to Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides, this is the first EU decision in this regard, with the possibility of granting specific authorizations for neonicotinoids only if strict conditions are met.
More information is available here.

The European Commission has launched a stakeholder consultation to collect data on a study on the state of new genomic techniques under EU law, which should be published by the end of April 2021. European NGOs such as Greenpeace and Friends of Earth argued that representatives of companies investing in genetic modification technologies were invited to the study for the first debate, which did not allow for a balanced vote. The Commission stated that the possibility of greater participation will be given to organizations at the next meeting. The Commission also published a questionnaire on technologies for genetic modification, replies can be sent by 30/04/2020. Copa and Cogeca representing farmers and agricultural cooperatives as well as FoodDrinkEurope representing food and beverage producers can participate in the consultation.
More information is available here.

The world's leading palm oil producers, Indonesia and Malaysia, have rejected the EU plan to set a stricter limit on contaminants with likely long-term adverse effects on human health contained in refined oils, especially palm oil. The EU has set a limit for the most common contaminant glycid ester, soon to introduce limits for other contaminants. Harmful substances may be formed during the cooking process of edible oils. The Council of Palm Oil-producing Countries, led by Indonesia and Malaysia, has questioned the differences in the limits set, and calls for the same levels to be set compared to other oils.
More information is available here.

The new "public money for public goods" regime under the British Agricultural Law, which is to replace the European CAP after Brexit, will provide farmers with funding for sustainable land use, thus helping to tackle climate change. However, there are concerns that under the new British trade policy, it will be possible to import goods of lower quality than that is required of local producers, which could jeopardize the competitiveness and viability of British agriculture.

Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan said on 04/02/2020 at the Centre for European Reform that the world trade system should be innovated to reflect changes in recent decades - mostly technological advances, digitization and climate change. Hogan also stressed that the EU would seek to combat protectionism and unfair competition in the world. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed her efforts to ensure the EU's leadership in the world, notably through the Green Deal and the transition to digitalisation. She also pointed out that the further the UK moved away from European standards and regulations, the less it would benefit from the EU single market.