Taking part in the “structured dialogue” with the members of the European Parliament’s agriculture committee in Strasbourg late on Monday 15 May, Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan spoke about ways to modernise the common agricultural policy (CAP). He acknowledged that the level of the CAP budget would be a crucial issue. He remained somewhat vague, however, on the future of the CAP and the expected impact of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU.
The last two years “have shown us that there were difficulties with the resilience of the market, risk management and implementing climate agreements and the sustainable development goals”, the commissioner said in response to MEPs’ questions on the reform of the CAP. The Commission will present a communication on the modernisation and simplification of the CAP at the end of this year. Hogan also spoke of measures to attract young people to the sector and of job creation.
Budget level will be important. Asked by a number of MEPs, including Michel Dantin (EPP, France), Ulrike Müller (ALDE, Germany), Maria Lidia Senra Rodriguez (GUE/NGL, Spain) and Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, Germany), about the budget of the CAP after 2020, Hogan wished good luck to anyone who thought the member states would increase their contributions, and stated that he had not detected much enthusiasm for other ways of raising income, such as an environmental tax. He acknowledged that the possibility was there of reducing expenditure. Everything must be done to “maximise what can be got from agriculture. The more money there is, the greater the chance of achieving the objectives”, he said.
Modernising the CAP. Account will have to be taken in the post-2020 CAP of the implications of international commitments (on climate, nutrition and sustainable development), in his view, and consideration has to be given to the tools that are available and those that are not. Additional tools are needed to allow farmers to respond to crises and market volatility, the Commissioner said.
Milk. The milk market, in Hogan’s view, exemplifies a sector where the CAP has to be modernised to extend crisis management tools. He noted that some EU countries had seen a 40% rise in prices but others barely 10%. The commissioner blamed the significant concentration in some countries. The average price of milk in the EU in May is 34 cents, which is in line with the average of the last five years. “That doesn’t mean that we are fully satisfied, otherwise we wouldn’t be trying to modernise the CAP.” Butter prices have increased by 35%.
Omnibus. Hogan did not want to criticise the agriculture committee’s amendments to the omnibus regulation (see EUROPE 11782). He noted that the committee had not changed the timescales set and hoped that the trialogue meetings could begin under the Estonian Presidency in the second half of 2017.
Food chain. In reply to a question from Éric Andrieu (S&D, France), Hogan said: “I intend to table proposals on the food chain” to address unfair business practices.
Sugar. Quotas will end on 30 September of this year. “We are not going to bring back sugar quotas”, Hogan made clear, rejecting any new regulations for the sector. He argued that the sugar sector was ready to meet the challenge and confirmed that a European sugar market observatory would be set up.
Organic farming. Hogan said that, in organic farming, what was needed was “integrity and a credible system” (see EUROPE 11788). He added: “We have worked patiently and we have made progress. We hope that the Maltese Presidency will succeed in delivering a positive outcome”.
Trade. The commissioner said that, in the agreement with Mexico, more could be achieved for milk, dairy products and fruit and vegetables. He said that, between now and the end of the year, efforts would be made to come to a sufficiently positive agreement. With rumours circulating of a resumption of talks between the EU and the United States on TTIP, he stated that he had had no indication from the American side of any interest in re-opening discussions on a free-trade deal. He said that there would be no dealings with the United States until it is clear what their attitude is towards international trade.
Glyphosate. “I don’t know if I look like a killer, John Stuart Agnew, but it is you, rather, and your party who look like killers”, the commissioner snapped back at the UKIP MEP with regard to the authorisation of glyphosate. A proposal was put to the College of Commissioners on Tuesday, said Hogan, stating that the position he was arguing was based on scientific opinion. “If the Chemicals Agency states that it is not carcinogenic, I’ll go with that”, he insisted.
“Do you not have a problem authorising glyphosate for 10 more years when it has serious effects on biological diversity?” queried Haüsling.
Brexit. Depending on the outcome of the election in the United Kingdom on 8 June, “we’ll see whether Mrs May has a mandate” to push for a hard Brexit or a slightly softer Brexit, Hogan told James Nicholson (ECR, UK). The commissioner met EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Ireland last week and “I found that our negotiator was very keen to find practical solutions to compensate the difficulties that the Irish agricultural sector could face”, Hogan said. He pointed out that a significant quantity of milk crossed the Irish border to be processed in the United Kingdom. “If the UK decides to remain in the customs union, that will help but, at this stage, we don’t know its position because it doesn’t yet have a negotiating team. We’ll probably begin talks in four or five weeks’ time.” In conclusion, Hogan said he hoped that a “pragmatic, reasonable” result would be reached “that will not harm the peace process or the economies” of Ireland and Northern Ireland. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)