News

The Austrian government voted on 02/07/2019 to ban the use of glyphosate, a herbicide that, according to some studies, may cause cancer. The ban on the use of glyphosate was approved; the proposal was supported by the Social Democrats (SPÖ), the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), the liberal NEOS and the left-wing JETZT. Austria thus became the first European Union country to ban the use of this substance. The ban should enter into force at the beginning of 2020. The middle-right People's Party (ÖVP) did not support the proposal, according to its representatives, adoption of the banned will do harm to all farmers using this active substance in accordance with the rules. Glyphosate is authorized in EU Member States until the end of 2022, after which negotiations will be held to extend the license to use the substance.

At the end of June, the Transport & Environment Group (T&E) published the results of its investigation, which showed that up to 65% of all EU palm oil imports are processed for biofuel production. According to T&E, there is a direct link between the promotion of biofuels in the EU and deforestation in third countries, which produce palm oil for European biofuels. According to T&E, in 2018 the European Union processed more than 4 million tonnes of palm oil to produce bio-diesel, and in the period 2014-2020, the EU contributed EUR 4.2 billion to deforestation, which is well over EUR 3.4 billion that has been earmarked for the same period to protect the environment and climate under the LIFE project. Following its findings, T&E urged EU Member States to stop the import of palm oil.
More information is available here.

The European Commission published on 03/07/2019 a short-term outlook for the agri-food commodity market. According to the Commission, in 2019, the EU should continue to strengthen the export of pork, beef, olive oil and dairy products. The Commission expects strengthening pork exports, in particular in the context of the spread of African swine fever in China. The Commission estimates that beef production is expected to fall by 1.2% as a result of EU stock cuts, but exports should still increase by 15%. Poultry production should grow by 2.5%, pork production by 12%. Cereal production should stabilize in the 2019/2020 fiscal year after a fall, with wheat production rising by as much as 11%, barley and maize by 7% and 0.5%. Sugar sowing area should fall by 4% to 1.67 million hectares in the same reporting period, but production should still increase by 4% compared to last year to 18.3 million tonnes. Demand for dairy products should support dairy production, which could increase by 1% in 2019.
More information is available here.

The EP Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) will have a total of 48 full members and 48 substitutes. Last week, some political factions have already published lists of their own candidates for membership in the Committees, as well as plans to fill the positions of chairmen and vice-chairmen of each EP committee. S&D, the second strongest political group in the European Parliament, will have 10 full members and 10 substitutes in the new COMAGRI, however the names have not yet been published, S&D foresees full membership of one Spanish representative (possibly Clara Aguilar García, who was the Vice-Chair of the Committee in the past), two representatives from Italy (could be Paola de Castro), and one seat for Germany (probably Maria Noichl), Portugal, Romania, France and Belgium. Information about other representatives has not been made public yet. In the past, García and Noichl were among the supporters of the mandatory capping of direct payments. The EP Environment Committee (COMENVI) will have 72 full members and 72 substitutes in the new term, while S&D will have 15 seats in the Committee (plus 15 substitutes). More information about S&D is available here.

The new political group Renew Europe (RE), currently the third strongest, which, among other things, can include members of the ALDE political party, has also published name lists with the distribution of candidates to individual committees last week (here). In COMAGRI, the RE should occupy 7 seats for full members and 7 seats for substitutes. Among the candidates for the post of full members are German MEP Ulrike Müller (rapporteur for the CAP legislative package - Horizontal Issues), Finnish MEP Elsi Katainen, or the newly elected Romanian MEP Dacian Ciolos, who was also elected the president of the Renew Europe faction (Ciolos held the post of Romanian Prime Minister in 2015–2017, and post of Commissioner for Agriculture 2010-2014). Among the candidates for the post of a full member of the RE in COMAGRI, there is also the newly elected Czech MEP Martin Hlaváček. RE should occupy 11 seats for full members and 11 for substitutes in COMENVI, amongst the candidates for the post of a full member is the Slovak MEP Martin Hojsík, and finally the German MEP Ulrike Müller and the Czech MEP Ondřej Knotek seek to get the substitute position.

The Greens' political party has also published a nominee list of candidates (here), in COMAGRI, they will be represented by 6 full members and 6 substitutes. Among the full members, some re-elected MEPs can be found - German MEP Martin Häusling and Lithuanian MEP Bronis Ropé. In COMENVI, the Greens will be represented by 9 full members and 9 substitutes, amongst the full member candidates is the Dutch MEP Bac Eickhout, German MEP Martin Häusling will be among the substitute candidates. The Czech Republic will be represented in the Greens by MEPs elected by the Pirate Party, but none of these MEPs is likely to occupy any seats in COMAGRI or COMENVI.

Other political factions have not yet published a list of candidates, according to preliminary unofficial information, the Czech MEP Michaela Šojdrová and Slovak MEP Michal Wiezik should not be missing on the nominee list for COMAGRI of the biggest political group EPP. The German MEP Peter Jahr should also seek the post of a substitute in COMAGRI (EPP, Jahr should be a candidate for the post of full member in the Committee on Regional Development). From German EPP MEPs, Norbert Lins (full member), Marlene Mortler (full member), and Christine Schneider (substitute) should also be working for COMAGRI. More information is available here.

Political factions have already announced which Committees they will seek for their presidency. According to preliminary information on the position of the Chairman of COMAGRI, it is aimed at by the Faction Identity and Democracy (ID), which brings together Eurosceptics and Nationalists (including Czech SPDs). The post of First Vice-Chair of COMAGRI should be occupied by the Greens, the second Vice-President by the EPP Group, the third Vice-President by the ECR Group (represented by MEPs of the ODS for the Czech Republic), REs should occupy the post of the fourth Vice-President. RE also seeks to occupy the post of the Vice-President of COMENVI, the post of the first Vice-President should be occupied by the Greens, the second Vice-President by the S&D Group, the third Vice-President by the EPP Group, and the GUE/NGL Faction should have the position of the fourth Vice-President. Furthermore, the Greens are seeking the chairmanship of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN). In addition to COMAGRI, the ID Faction should also occupy the post of the Chairman of the JURI Committee.

MEPs will vote on the composition of the Committees at EP's first plenary session, which will take place between 02-04/07/2019, and will decide on the positions of the Presidents and Vice-Presidents on 10/07/2019. The first regular meeting of COMAGRI will take place on 22-23/07/2019.

Finland will take over the EU Presidency from Romania in July 2019. For the rest of the year, Finland will be managing the ongoing negotiations on the Common Agricultural Policy, the Multiannual Financial Framework (FI will seek an agreement by the end of 2019), and the UK leaving the EU (planned for the end of October 2019). In the area of the CAP, Finland has identified strengthening of environmental and climate protection as one of the key priorities. According to a document summarizing Finland's plans for the next six months, the importance and economic value of clean water, food, and sustainable agriculture and forestry is growing. Finland will support a CAP that is more responsive to climate change, biodiversity protection and the need for more sustainable use of natural resources. The key role in achieving these ambitions should be played by the second pillar. The first FI Ministerial Council will be held on 15/07/2019.
More information is available here.