The European Parliament and the EU Council failed to reach a final agreement on the regulation on the Single Market Programme on Wednesday 28 October due to two issues: the question of national reference laboratories and the question of co-financing.
The negotiations are moving towards a 50% cofinancing rate for eligible actions to implement emergency veterinary and phytosanitary measures, which we are told could be increased to 75%, or even 100% in some cases. But the issue is still open.
There are differences between the co-legislators on the inclusion of national plant health reference laboratories to obtain grants under programmes without a call for proposals.
In the EU Council's view, these national laboratories should be given unambiguous support, particularly in the context of the health crisis rocking the Union. Such a provision, according to the Member States, would make it possible to improve health controls, particularly in the east of the European Union where laboratories are less well equipped.
There is also the budgetary question, but this has to be decided in the context of the negotiations on the next multiannual financial framework (see EUROPE 12592/4).
Details of the next meeting had not yet been communicated to us at time of going to press. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)