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The European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) endorsed the proposal by Dutch MEP Anja Hazekamp not to extend the EU license for 63 pesticides by 2020, taking into account health risks. The outcome of the vote did not support the extension of EU licenses for three GMOs owned by Bayer, Dow and Syngenta. The EP plenary will now vote on the ENVI opinion, but the European Commission will not be bound by the result and is not obliged to respond. The vote was therefore more or less symbolic.
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The European Commission reported an extraordinary increase in exports of agri-food commodities over the last 12 months between August 2018 and July 2019, when exports reached an all-time maximum of EUR 25.85 billion. According to statistics, the sharp increase was caused mainly by exports to the USA and China. Pork exports increased by 46% in July 2019 compared to July 2018. China, in an effort to get rid of and prevent the spread of African swine fever (ASF), has killed millions of pigs and is facing a shortage of pork.
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Last week, the largest EP political group, the Group of the European People's Party (EPP), appointed a new rapporteur for the EP report on the CAP Strategic Plans. Seven MEPs sought the post of rapporteur in the EPP - Daniel Buda (RO), Michaela Šojdrová (CZ), Anne Sander (FR), Michal Wiezik (SK), Petri Sarvamaa (FI), Peter Jahr (DE) and Juan Ignacio Zoido (EPP, EC). Although he is only a substitute member of the EP Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, German MEP Peter Jahr was eventually appointed rapporteur for the EP report on the strategic plans. In recent years (2014-2019), Peter Jahr advocated a compromise that allows Member States to choose between the introduction of a mandatory capping of direct payments per hectare and the introduction of a mandatory redistribution of direct payments of at least 10%; he supported the voluntary introduction of the definition of a real farmer; he sought to strengthen the role of cooperatives; and supported the reduction of the payment of coupled support and the reduction of the envelope for these payments to 5% (currently 13 + 2%).

The other political factions always appoint one shadow rapporteur, who will be a major contributor to the European Parliament's opinion on the Strategic Plans. Meanwhile, Maria Noichl (S&D, DE), Martin Hlaváček (Renew Europe, CZ; newly elected to EP), Martin Häusling (Greens, DE), and Luke Ming Flanagan (GUE/NGL, IE) have been appointed shadow rapporteurs. In the past, Maria Noichl supported the introduction of mandatory capping and the adjustment of the direct payments scheme so that the first hectares were given more value; she supported steps to facilitate investment in small farms; and encouraged Member States to reduce intensive livestock production and to limit the dominant position of large landowners. Noichl also supported the reduction of the allocation for basic income support for sustainability (basic component of direct payments, payment per hectare) from 40% of the envelope for direct payments to 20%. Martin Häusling has supported the introduction of mandatory full capping above EUR 50,000 in the past, while supporting the progressive reduction of direct payments from as little as EUR 35,000; he supported the deduction of only 50% of staff costs in the case of direct payments capping; he focused on strengthening biodiversity and animal welfare; he supports the end of the payment of coupled production aid for crops intended for the production of first generation biofuels; and supported reducing livestock production. Martin Häusling is one of the supporters of organic farming. Luke Ming Flanagan has in the past supported the introduction of a mandatory definition of a real farmer; the introduction of mandatory capping for direct payments of more than EUR 60.000, without the possibility of deducting staff costs; obligatory introduction of redistributive payments; mandatory introduction of climate and environmental schemes (so-called eco-schemes); and ending the payment of coupled production aid for crops intended for the production of first generation biofuels. Luke Ming Flanagan further supported the limitation of the payment of aid for livestock production.

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The names of the shadow rapporteurs of the political factions ECR and ID (Identity and Democracy) have not yet been published.

The original shadow rapporteur for the Strategic Plans of the Renew Europe political group (formerly ALDE) Jan Huitema (NL) was appointed shadow rapporteur for the EP Report on Strategic Plans in the EP Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee last week.

The legislative proposal for the Common Agricultural Policy is divided into three parts, in addition to the main part (Strategic Plans see above); it also consists of the Horizontal Issues and the Common Market Organization (CMO). Unlike the Strategic Plans, where a new rapporteur for the report had to be appointed due to the non-election of the original rapporteur, the original rapporteurs of these reports were re-elected in the European Parliament elections in May and will therefore assume the role of rapporteurs now. Thus, German MEP Ulrike Müller (Renew Europe) remains the rapporteur for the EP report on Horizontal Issues, while French MEP Eric Andrieu (S&D) remains the rapporteur for the EP report on the CMO. Anne Sander (EPP, FR), Pina Picierno (S&D, IT) and Matt Carthy (GUE/NGL, IE) have so far been appointed Shadow Rapporteurs on Horizontal Issues. Anne Sander (EPP, FR) Jérémy Decerle (Renew Europe, FR) and Petros Kokkalis (GUE/NGL, GR) have been appointed as shadow rapporteurs for the CMO.
More information is available here and here.

The European Parliament has published a schedule of public hearings to assess the commissioners’ suitability for the job. A public hearing with Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski will be held on 01/10/2019 from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm, and on the same day there will be a public hearing with Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Commissioner Stella Kyriakides from 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm. The public hearing with Commissioner-designate for Environment Virginian Sinkevichius will take place on 03/10/2019 from 2.30 pm. The schedule is available here.

According to the European media, MEPs' questions for candidate Wojciechowski should focus on his vision of the European scheme for the payment of agricultural subsidies; trade agreements; the environmental impact of farming; reduction in the volume of pesticides used; or cooperation with the European Parliament. Questions directed to candidate Kyriakides will focus on the fight against cancer; EU authorization process for pesticides and other active substances; antimicrobial resistance; or the effects of endocrine disruptors on the human body. According to preliminary information, Sinkevichius should answer questions on biodiversity, deforestation, the circular economy and the strategy for achieving carbon neutrality.

The results of the hearings should be examined by the Conference of Chairs of the EP Committees on 15/10/2019, followed by the Conference of Chairs of the EP on 17/10/2019. The EP plenary should then approve the results of the public hearing on 23/10/2019 in a vote and the new Commission should take up the mandate from 01/11/2019.