EU Member States generally supported in the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) on Monday 12 April the compromises reached between the EU institutions on 26 March on certain elements of the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
The Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council hopes that a final compromise can be reached at the end of May on the post-2020 CAP, although there is still a lot of work to be done before this is achieved (see EUROPE 12688/3).
At this stage, the majority of delegations in the SCA have argued for respecting the EU Council’s position on the green architecture of the CAP, including devoting 20% of aid to future eco-regimes.
The European Parliament has argued for a figure of 30%. At the SCA meeting, Sweden and the Netherlands were reported to have asked for the EU Council to be more ambitious.
Delegations supported the agreements reached at the ‘super-trilogue’, although some remarks were made, notably on the 22 indicators selected.
Concerning the targeting of aid, an agreement in principle was reached on the compulsory application of a definition of ‘active farmer’ (with room for manoeuvre to specify the contours at national level), the definition of ‘new farmer’, the support to be granted to young farmers (3% divided between the two pillars), a minimum level of internal convergence of aid of 85% by 2026 (75% in the initial position of the EU Council and 100% for Parliament), and a voluntary application of the simplified scheme for small farmers.
But there are still differences of opinion between Parliament and the EU Council on capping and redistributive payments.
On the Common Market Organisation (CMO), the institutions validated the compromises agreed on the wine sector (extension of vineyard planting authorisations until 2045).
The next trilogues are scheduled for 16 and 30 April on the strategic plans, 23 April on the horizontal regulation and 21 and 29 April on the CMO regulation. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)