On Monday 27 January in Brussels, many EU agriculture ministers agreed that the new 'European Green Deal' should be translated into sufficient funding for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to meet the new climate and environmental objectives. The Agriculture Council of the EU is expecting the 'Farm to Fork' strategy to be published around May.
Commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans acknowledged "anxiety" and "scepticism" among farmers about the 'Green Deal'. "But if we take the right measures, this will benefit the EU and its farmers", he said.
The future 'Farm-to-Fork' strategy will include a restructuring of production methods and the development of organic farming, Frans Timmermans said. He also called on Member States to examine fiscal possibilities such as a reduced VAT rate for organic fruit and vegetable producers.
Most ministers agreed that the CAP needs to be more ambitious on climate and environmental issues.
Spanish Minister Luis Planas protested against the fact that the future 'Just Transition Fund' will be included in the CAP budget line in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027. "We must not put everything on the shoulders of farmers" when it comes to climate change, he warned. Hungary, too, found the choice of the budget line for the Just Transition Fund alarming.
Julia Klöckner, the German Minister, asked to move on to the concrete stage. Agriculture should not be seen as a problematic sector, a budget is needed for this CAP, she said, before summing up that the adding new measures must be done in an intelligent way. In particular, she advocated for new farming methods to minimise the use of plant protection products.
Review of the pesticide framework. France welcomed the Commission's proposals on the post-2020 CAP (green architecture, mandatory eco-schemes). Appropriate funding for the CAP is needed, said Didier Guillaume, who was supported by many of his counterparts (Slovak, Italian, Irish, Spanish, Portuguese...) Other European policies must contribute to the 'Farm to Fork' strategy: France defends a 50% reduction in chemical pesticides by 2025 and regrets the absence of a quantified objective within the 'European Green Deal'. France is proposing an "ambitious" revision of the 2009 pesticide package, notably on the withdrawal of dangerous substances and the provision of alternative solutions (biocontrol products).
Denmark also advocated a reduction in the use of pesticides.
Several ministers stressed the need to reduce the administration of antibiotics to farm animals.
The rules must be simple and realistic and there must be sufficient funding, including possibly new money," the Czech minister said.
The EU forestry strategy was mentioned by several ministers (France, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Slovakia...), bearing in mind that forests play a key role in mitigating climate change.
Poland has again called for the convergence of direct payments to farmers.
In particular, Italy has requested a mutual fund under the first pillar of the CAP (direct aid and market expenditure) to deal with climate crises.
Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski hoped that the MFF negotiations will result in a sufficient budget for the future CAP, as the Green Deal "revises the requirements upwards". There will be no reduction in CAP funds to finance the 'Just Transition Fund', he assured. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)