News

Luxembourg will be the first Member State of the European Union to introduce a total ban on the use of glyphosate. According to the plan of the Luxembourg Minister of Agriculture, Romain Schneider, the country should introduce a ban by 31/12/2020; it should enter into force from January 2021. Farmers who voluntarily refrain from using glyphosate in the 2019/2020 marketing year will be compensated by the Greening Program and EUR 30 per hectare for arable land, EUR 50 per hectare for vineyards, and EUR 100 per hectare for orchards. Wine producers who decide to refrain from using all herbicides in vineyards will receive compensation from the State of EUR 500 to 550 per hectare. The current license for the use of glyphosate in the EU is valid until 15/12/2022.
More information is available here.

The European Commission decided on 13/01/2020 not to renew the license for the use of the neonicotinoid thiacloprid following the scientific findings of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The current license for the use of thiacloprid expires on 30/04/2020; the transitional period expires on 03/02/2021. Thiacloprid will thus become the fourth banned neonicotinoid out of a total of five originally approved.
More information is available here.

On 10/01/2020, the European Commission formally adopted a regulation banning the use of chlorpyrifos insecticide used to control insect pests on various crops and chlorpyrifos-methyl used to treat stored cereal grains and empty stores. Pursuant to this decision, Member States must withdraw within one month all authorizations for plant protection products containing these active substances developed by Corteva. Member States may grant a grace period of a maximum of 3 months for final storage, disposal and use. After this period, active substances may no longer be placed on the market or used in the EU. The European Food Safety Authority concluded in early August 2019 that chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl may be genotoxic and neuropathogenic. The regulations will be published in the Official Journal of the EU in the coming days.
More information is available here.

Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Janusz Wojciechowski last week confirmed the last members of his cabinet. Alongside Maciej Golubiewski (PL, Head of Cabinet), Magdalena Majerczyk (PL, likely to be in charge of agricultural policy), and Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle (FR, former Head of the European Food Safety Authority, Deputy Head of Cabinet) the team joined Pinto Antunes (PT, currently employed by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Climate) and Roberto Berutti (IT, Permanent Representation of Italy). Kamil Ochmanski, Polish representative, will become the political advisor responsible for communication.

British MEPs approved an agreement on withdrawal from the EU at 3rd reading on 09/01/2020 with a ratio of 330 votes to 231. Last week, EU Chief Negotiator for Brexit Michel Barnier drew attention to possible losses to the UK if it failed to reach a trade agreement with the EU. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen insists on a level playing field in environmental and social standards, state aid, and taxes in the EU-UK economic partnership. It seeks to be ready by 01/02/2020 to propose a negotiating mandate for a trade agreement with the UK to the EU Member States, with negotiations starting in late February or early March. The aim will be to make the most progress by June by the EU-27 and UK Leaders' Meeting. On 16/01/2020, the UK introduced a new funding system to replace the CAP in the UK - farmers will be rewarded for improving access to land and strengthening environmental measures.
More information is available here and here.