The EU countries’ ministers of agriculture will meet on Monday 21 September in Brussels to discuss the proposals on the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in particular (see EUROPE 12559/9).
In order to prepare the negotiations for a general approach at the Agriculture Council meeting in October, the German Presidency of the Council of the EU is asking the ministers to focus on two important reform topics on Monday: green architecture (eco-schemes and conditionality) and direct payments (a new implementation model and implementation of the European Council’s decisions on gradual reductions in and capping of direct payments).
In a working paper ahead of Monday's discussion (which can be found at https://bit.ly/3kCPPiP ), the German Presidency proposes a “two-tier” approach to setting a minimum budget for the eco-schemes, with an initial ‘pilot phase’ in which a mechanism is proposed to avoid losses of funds (under the condition that all possibilities for using the respective funds for schemes for the climate and environment are exhausted).
Under any other business, France and a range of other countries will present a document (which can be found at: https://bit.ly/3iDof48 ) that stresses the importance of developing plant protein production in European agriculture.
Finally, the Commission will provide an update on trade-related agricultural issues. The document drawn up by German Presidency for discussion in the Council of the EU can be found at: https://bit.ly/35WOX4v (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)