German Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner said on Wednesday 15 July in Brussels that she wanted a “strong” Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2020.
Before presenting the priorities of the German EU Council Presidency to the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, Julia Klöckner said that “a strong Europe needs a strong CAP”. She also said that the budget for the CAP should be sufficiently funded, and that the CAP should be greener and more sustainable. The budget for the CAP will, of course, depend on the outcome of the negotiations at the highest level on the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
She recalled German priorities such as the proposals to reform the CAP, the 2020 and 2021 transitional measures for the CAP, European labelling on animal welfare and the issue of nutritional labelling on the front of food packaging (see EUROPE 12519/13). Digitisation is also important, the German Minister added, “to resolve conflicts using modern technology”.
Speaking to the Agriculture Committee, Mrs Klöckner said that an agreement on the future CAP should be reached by the end of 2020.
The chair of Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, Norbert Lins (EPP, Germany), advocated a “strong” budget for the post-2020 CAP and recalled that Parliament’s vote on the reformed CAP is expected to take place in October (see separate news item).
Transition period. The German minister hoped for an early agreement on the “2020 and 2021” transitional measures for the CAP, while the Commission continues to insist on a one-year transitional period. Norbert Lins has also requested a two-year transitional period for the CAP. The CAP will have to be made “greener” during this transitional period, the German Agriculture Minister insisted.
Compliance with the treaty. EPP group coordinator Herbert Dorfmann (Italy) said Parliament should be consulted on some of the CAP modalities that are to be decided by the European Council (capping of aid, transfers between pillars).
European Green Deal. Ideological aspects must be eliminated from the Farm to Fork strategy, Dorfmann said. Ulrike Müller (Renew Europe, Germany) recalled that the targets for reducing pesticide use (-50%) in the ‘Farm to Fork’ and ‘biodiversity’ strategies are of great concern to farmers.
Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, Germany) asked the minister about the share of the agriculture budget that should be spent on environmental measures.
Mrs Klöckner responded that food safety must be reconciled with the need to reduce pesticide use by 50%.
Thanks to trade agreements, higher standards can be imposed on non-Member States, she said with regard to the EU/Mercosur agreement.
Rural development. Paolo De Castro (S&D, Italy) said that the €15 billion package provided for in the economic recovery plan (see EUROPE 12524/9) should be disbursed before the current schedule of 2023.
CAP on the agenda for EU Council meeting on 20 July. The European Ministers of Agriculture will again take stock of the post-2020 CAP on 20 July (see EUROPE 12516/5).
In addition, the Czech delegation will present a joint declaration of the Ministers of Agriculture from the Visegrád Group (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) (also signed by Bulgaria and Romania) on the reform of the CAP in light of the ‘European Green Deal’, the ‘Farm to Fork’ and ‘biodiversity’ strategies, and the Covid-19 pandemic (https://bit.ly/2Outdmc ). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)