On Monday 14 September, the German Presidency of the EU Council will sound out the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) on a proposal to mobilise 30% and 70% respectively of the agricultural funds of the EU’s post-Covid-19 Economic Recovery Plan in 2021 and 2022, i.e., €8 billion.
The German Presidency proposes, according to a document seen by EUROPE dated 9 September, that an article be added to the regulation, still to be finalised, on transitional measures for the common agricultural policy (CAP) to allow the payment in 2021 and 2022 of the rural development appropriations intended to help farmers overcome the negative effects of the pandemic. The German Presidency is therefore proposing a budget of €2.387 million for 2021 and €5.683 million for 2022.
The German Presidency emphasises that the advance payment of the initial funds of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) in 2021 (€2.68 billion in current prices), as proposed by the European Commission in the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), will be maintained as an integral part of the European Council conclusions. It is proposed allocating agricultural aid from the recovery fund according to the 30/70% allocation for the years 2021 and 2022.
If Member States accept this new article, negotiations with the European Parliament to finalise the compromise on transitional measures could be conducted rapidly (see EUROPE 12553/12, 12517/10). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)