On Monday 28 September, experts from the EU Member States made progress on some aspects of the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), including the new delivery model (see EUROPE 12564/12).
The Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) discussed a paper from the German Presidency of the Council of the EU (https://bit.ly/33brRVD ) on green architecture, direct payments and the new ‘delivery model’ to help EU agriculture ministers reach a ‘general approach’ on the CAP in October.
Eco-schemes. Delegations were once again divided on whether or not environmental programmes should be mandatory.
Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and Belgium in particular advocated a compulsory scheme, while other countries (Greece, Poland, Hungary, etc.) would prefer an optional scheme.
Austria's suggestion about reducing the minimum budget percentage from the pillar I appropriations (direct aid) to be allocated to environmental programmes for Member States that devote a significant part of the pillar II expenditure (rural development) to environmental and climate measures was welcomed by several delegations (including France, Spain and Sweden).
Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC). With regard to GAEC 9, several countries (France, Poland, Italy and Austria) supported the idea of identifying an EU-wide minimum arable land area for non-productive areas/assets. In general, the delegations did not want the percentage to be higher than 5%.
The experts welcomed suggestions regarding the ‘new delivery model’, although some delegations expressed concern about the loss of unspent funds and called for greater financial flexibility.
With regard to direct payments, the Presidency's interpretation of the European Council conclusions on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) allowing Member States to cap direct payments at a threshold above €100,000 was supported by a number of delegations.
The Committee was divided on the matter of ‘coupled’ support (linked to output levels). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)