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On 29/01/2020, the European Parliament approved an agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU on 31/01/2020. The agreement was approved by 621 votes to 49, with 13 abstentions. The transitional period will run from 01/02/2020 to 31/12/2020. Any agreement on the future EU-UK relationship will have to be concluded before the end of the transitional period if it is to enter into force on 01/01/2021. The transitional period may be extended by one to two years, but the decision must be taken by 01/07/2020. The number of seats in the European Parliament will now fall from 751 to 705.
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US Agriculture Minister Sonny Perdue, called on ministers to review food and agricultural standards in the EU-US trade during an informal working lunch at the EU Council of Ministers of Agriculture in Brussels on 27/01/2020. He asked to communicate clearly of positives of American agricultural products to the public, which is concerned about the US's looser access to genetically modified organisms (GMO) technologies or US-approved hormones. Minister Perdue recalled that US President Donald Trump turned his attention to the EU, seeking to address the US-EU trade deficit of $ 10 to 12 billion in trade in agricultural products. Failure to reach agreement threatens to increase tariffs on cars imported from the EU. Minister Perdue also advocated the use of the CRISPR plant breeding technique, which he described as a ‘essentially a natural breeding technique that’s just expedited’. Perdue also met in Brussels with Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Janusz Wojciechowski, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides, and Commissioner for Trade Phil Hogan. During the meeting of President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen with President Trump in Washington, agriculture is expected to be one of the main topics of negotiations on EU-US relations.
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The Ministers of Agriculture will meet on 27/01/2020 at the Council of Ministers, the first under the Croatian Presidency. Ministers will be informed about the priorities of the Croatian Presidency, HR will continue to discuss the future shape of the CAP, with a view to reaching agreement on the Council's position on the legislative package. Following the publication of the European Green Deal, HR will discuss the tools and options for how the CAP and agriculture can contribute to achieving the EU's stated objectives of a climate-neutral, sustainable and circular economy. Consumer protection and food safety will also be important areas. Ministers will discuss the agricultural aspects of the Green Deal and the regulation on the CAP transitional period. Finally, ministers will discuss the outcomes of the high-level international conference "The Future of global pork production under the threat of African swine fever", Joint Declaration DE, FR, and EC on CAP issues linked to the European Green Deal and PT and SI information on the EU labelling of honey.

A Just Transition Fund, which will receive €7.5 billion of fresh EU funds, should be shared among Member States. According to the latest figures, the largest share should go to Poland, which should receive up to EUR 2 billion. The second largest share should then be acquired by Germany, totalling EUR 877 million. This should be followed by Romania (EUR 757 million) and the Czech Republic (EUR 581 million). Italy (EUR 364 million), Spain (EUR 307 million) and France (EUR 400 million) will be around EUR 300-400 million. Luxembourg should have the smallest share (EUR 4 million). According to the plans published in mid-January, the Mechanism will be part of a € 100 billion "fund" to help countries dependent on fossil fuels, coal, gas and oil to contribute to the European goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. However, these amounts will not be automatically allocated to Member States, and funding will be approved based on regional plans, which will have to specify exactly how the money will be spent.
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Croatian Minister of Agriculture Marija Vučkovic spoke at the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development on 22/01/2020, presenting agricultural priorities of the Croatian Presidency. According to her, an ambitious budget for the CAP and simplification and sustainability of the whole policy must be ensured. European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy will be the key areas of interest in coming months; agriculture will play a vital role in protecting the environment and biodiversity. Vučkovic also said that the CAP should support those farmers who are committed to protecting natural resources and the environment. She also supported the provision of support for small family farms, that represent 97% of the agricultural community in Croatia. She also stressed the strengthening of animal welfare standards, as well as the role of forestry.