The Finnish Presidency of the Council of the European Unions hopes to conduct negotiations on the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) “as far as possible”, but everything will depend on how the EU Heads of State or Government discussions go on the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027, EU Agriculture Ministers said on Tuesday 24 September in Helsinki.
After the informal meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers in Helsinki from Sunday 22 to Tuesday 24 September, Finnish Agriculture Minister Jari Leppa stressed that he would do everything possible to bring the Agriculture Council to a common position (partial general approach) in December, but this will depend on the discussions on the 2021-2027 MFF, he admitted.
European agriculture ministers are refusing to give their opinion on CAP reform until they know the budget allocation for the period 2021-2027.
According to the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan, the timetable “is converging on December”. The French Minister of Agriculture, Didier Guillaume, was rather optimistic. “I think it is possible to have the general framework of the budget by the end of the year”, he said, “It is in the interests of European agriculture”.
Mrs Marija Vučković, the new Croatian minister who will take over the presidency of the Agriculture Council on 1 January 2020, said she hoped that it would be possible to reach an agreement on the CAP between the Agriculture Ministers “by the end of this year”, which means that at the beginning of the Croatian Presidency, “we would be ready to launch the trilogues”. The European Parliament is expected to adopt its position at the end of the year or early in 2020.
“However, other scenarios are possible and also depend on the outcome of the negotiations on the EU’s multiannual financial framework (MFF) for 2021-2027”, and the position of the European Parliament, the Croatian minister acknowledged.
At the same time, according to Croatia, it will be necessary to ensure the rapid adoption of the Regulation on transitional measures for the CAP, in order to avoid possible interruptions in payments.
Transition period. The tight negotiating timetable will require transitional measures to avoid a legal gap between the current and the new CAP, which should enter into force at the beginning of 2021. These measures are under discussion within the Commission and should cover a period of one year, according to Mr Hogan. France also championed a one-year transitional period.
A tight schedule. EU leaders are expected to hold a debate on the MFF in mid-October, but many fear that this meeting will focus on Brexit, two weeks before the planned departure date from the United Kingdom. “There will probably be no figures on the MFF in October, it will be too early”, said Pekka Pesonen, Copa-Cogeca's general secretary.
No to a reduction in the CAP budget. France and several other countries, such as Ireland and Spain, continue to support the maintenance of a CAP budget equivalent to that currently allocated to the 27 EU Member States (excluding the United Kingdom).
“The amount of the CAP is very important for us”, stressed Didier Guillaume, highlighting that France wants the first pillar (direct aid and market expenditure) “to remain strong” and the “eco-reforms” (ecological programmes) to be “mandatory” for Member States.
The Netherlands also supported the mandatory nature of eco-schemes.
Portugal protested in particular against the decrease (in the Commission's proposal on the next MFF) in the 2021-2027 appropriations for rural development. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)