Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan called on the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union to reach an early agreement on the post-2020 legislative package establishing the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as well as the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), on Wednesday 20 February during a debate at the plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).
“I believe that farmers need certainty and stability regarding policy and budget. Our co-legislators have a responsibility to deliver for them quickly”, said Mr Hogan, pleading for Parliament and Council to reach agreement on the new CAP over the summer.
The day before, the Parliament committee had decided that the vote on the post-2020 CAP would take place in early April. MEPs will therefore be unable to take a decision on the matter in plenary session before the end of the legislature (see EUROPE 12197).
Mr Hogan also stressed the importance of an early agreement on the MFF, recalling that at the December European Council, Member States had committed themselves to reaching unanimous agreement in autumn 2019 (see EUROPE 12159).
“This will be essential to pave the way for finalising the CAP negotiations and to ensure a smooth transition to the next period”, he stressed.
On the environment, the Commissioner said he was convinced that the Commission's proposal for the CAP 2021-2027 will be “a game-changer for the climate agenda”, while MEPs from Parliament’s Environment Committee recently decided to raise the environmental and climate ambition of the future agricultural policy (see EUROPE 12194).
Finally, addressing EU-Africa relations, Mr Hogan called for a “genuine and equitable partnership” including an agricultural component and stimulating investment and job creation.
During the debate, several EESC members expressed reservations about the Commission's proposal for the next CAP. Maurizio Reale (Employers, Italy) and Peter Schmidt (Workers, Germany) pointed to the need for the future CAP to focus more on climate change. The second and some of his colleagues, such as Piroska Kállay (Workers, Hungary), also stressed the importance of combating unfair practices in the food chain more effectively, while an interinstitutional agreement will be validated by Parliament in March (see EUROPE 12163). (Original version in French by Damien Genicot - intern)