The European Parliament's Agriculture Committee confirmed on Monday, 18 March that it would vote in April on the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) proposals (see EUROPE 12215/17). But there will be no vote in plenary under the current mandate, confirmed the members of this committee.
Esther Herranz García (EPP, Spain), rapporteur on strategic plans (5,400 amendments tabled!), said that 123 compromise amendments between political groups had been negotiated in record time. She pointed out that major decisions on figures (in particular on ecological programmes, coupled support, transfers between pillars of the CAP, support for young farmers) are still necessary. Another issue of concern to Member States, said Herranz García, is the capping of aid. The Parliament supports a mandatory system, while the EU Council is more in favour of an optional system. The vote is scheduled for 2 April in the Parliament’s Agriculture Committee.
Eric Andrieu (S&D, France), rapporteur on the Common Market Organisation (CMO), referred to the 60 or so negotiated compromise amendments covering almost 600 amendments. The three main aspects concern: - wine (wine grapes, definition of designations of origin, de-alcoholised wines, labelling); - the role of producer organisations and interbranch organisations; - exceptional market measures.
The vote on Ulrike Müller's (ALDE, Germany) report on the 'horizontal regulation' is scheduled for 8 April. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)