On Monday 28 January in Brussels, the European Union's agriculture ministers will debate future strategic plans for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
This subject, which was discussed on Monday 21 January by experts from the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA), is one of the important components of the legislative proposals on the post-2020 CAP (see EUROPE 12142, 12111).
In preparation for the ministerial meeting, the SCA exchanged views on the ‘governance’ and ‘green architecture' aspects of the proposal on strategic plans.
In particular, the following were addressed: - the 15 February reporting deadline (many delegations reiterated their concerns on this deadline); - the annual performance review, including annual milestones (delegations reported difficulties with the annual milestones and requested an increase in the tolerance margin); - indicators, particularly for results (many delegations called for reducing the number of indicators); - the suspension of payments in relation to deficiencies in the governance system (many delegations asked to have a discussion on these provisions held in the AGRIFIN working party); - the carry-over of amounts for the agricultural reserve and the threshold for financial discipline (positions in the Council are divided on these two subjects).
Wine. The Romanian Presidency also submitted to delegations the questions that will be put to the Council on Monday concerning certain aspects of the proposal on the common market organisation: - Do Member States agree to open the market to the 'Vitis labrusca' grape varieties and to the six forbidden varieties, or do they prefer to maintain the status quo? - Do Member States think that a wine variety stemming from crosses between 'Vitis vinifera' and other species of the genus Vitis could be authorised in wines with a protected designation of origin (PDO)?
The Romanian Presidency hopes that progress will be made during this semester in the post-2020 CAP negotiations, despite the uncertainties arising from the budgetary debates and the United Kingdom's exit from the EU (see EUROPE 12165). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)