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The French agriculture minister wants to set up an alliance with other agricultural countries (ES, PT, IE) to avoid a 5% cut in Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding envisaged in the EU’s 2021-2027 budget proposal. Read the original post

The Commission today on 4 May a new report on the implementation of the Nitrates Directive. With this Directive, the EU aims to protect water quality across Europe by preventing pollution by nitrates from agricultural sources and by promoting the use of good farming practices. The report shows that the Directive has been successful in reducing water pollution caused by nitrates in both surface and groundwater in the last two decades. The report however points to some disparities among Member States, which calls for renewed efforts to bring waters in the European Union to a good status. More details can be found here.

On 4 May, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) launched a public consultation on its Draft guidance on communication of uncertainty in scientific assessments. EFSA explained that its “scientists are introducing a more harmonized and transparent way of accounting for the limitations in scientific knowledge – the ‘uncertainties’ – in their scientific assessments.” The communication guidance “aims to help our different audiences to understand this information by providing it in a more accessible language tailored to their needs.” Earlier this year, EFSA published its “Guidance on uncertainty analysis in scientific assessments”. Written comments can be submitted until June 24.

The European Commission unveiled its 2020-2027 budget proposal on 2 May, and it was closely followed by France. France like most other agricultural countries (Ireland, Poland, Italy) oppose any further cutbacks in direct support to farmers. The FNSEA, the main agricultural trade union in France is surprised that the CAP is put aside to finance new policies in the EU. The French Minster of Agriculture, Stéphane Travert, also called the budget proposal “unacceptable”. Read the original post

The European Commission’s proposal on the long-term budget of €1.135 billion in commitments over the period from 2021 to 2027 was unveiled today in the European Parliament by Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Budget Commissioner Günther Oettinger. Oettinger said the cuts would amount to a 5 % chop to the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, which currently makes up nearly 40 % of the bloc’s budget, and a 7 % reduction in regional funds, which overall now account for one-third of spending by the EU. More information