At a hearing in the European Parliament on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) pointed out, on 4 December, that measures are needed to take better account of environmental challenges in this policy. The Committee of the Regions' recommendations are in line with the objectives of the Green Deal announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (see EUROPE 12384/11).
The CoR rapporteur on CAP reform, Guillaume Cros (PES, French), Vice-President of the Occitan Region, called for a “radical change” in the way the next CAP is implemented in order to meet the social, environmental and climate-related challenges.
The CoR is calling for a minimum of 30% of first pillar funds (direct aid) to go to ‘eco-schemes’ and proposes quantified, measurable and results-oriented European objectives by 2027 for the national Strategic Plans, as follows: - a 30% reduction compared with 2017 in greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture in the Member State; - a doubling compared with 2017 of the land area used for organic farming in the Member State, or at least 30% of the utilised agricultural area of the Member State; - a minimum 30% reduction compared with 2017 in the use of pesticides in the Member State; - compliance with the Nitrates Directive for 100% of surface water and groundwater, without exemptions.
The CoR also calls for a gradual and planned end to cage rearing throughout the European Union.
In addition, the CoR expressed concern in a debate that US tariffs (sanctions) are damaging production sectors, disrupting local economies and affecting a large number of family businesses. At the initiative of the Spanish delegation, the CoR will set out a series of demands concerning trade agreements in an opinion to be adopted in May 2020. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)