The Austrian Presidency of the Council of the EU wants to focus debate at the informal rural development ministerial meeting, but a number of ministers pointed out at Hof Castle on Tuesday 25 September the importance they place on direct farm payments in the framework of debate about the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2020 (see EUROPE 12103).
At a round the table discussion, most ministers unsurprisingly said that the second pillar of the CAP (rural development) was important for encouraging innovation, investment and digitisation.
Several ministers (France, Spain, Slovakia, Italy and others) nevertheless stressed the importance of direct farm payments to support farmers’ incomes.
Germany said that direct farm payments made it possible to guarantee income and a minimum level of good environmental practices.
Estonia stressed payments for young farmers.
Latvia, Finland and Romania focussed on direct payments and coupled aid (which maintains a link with product levels).
The Netherlands said the market guidelines needed to be kept and said the second pillar should above all be used to improve risk management tools.
Italy raised the idea of special payments for vulnerable areas.
France and Denmark defended the Commission’s proposal on ecological programmes in the first pillar of the CAP.
The 15 October Agriculture Council will return to the question of the post-2020 CAP, the Austrian Presidency recognising that it would be difficult to reach an agreement in principle at the Council (a ‘general approach’) by the end of December.
FAO. The informal meeting provided an opportunity for Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle (of French nationality) to unveil to the ministers her candidacy on behalf of the European Union for the post of Food and Agriculture Organisation director general in Rome.
The post will be renewed on 1 January 2020. Eighteen ministers spoke in support of her candidacy which is the only one so far to be made official. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)