The EU’s three co-legislative institutions will attempt to reach agreement on the elements of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that will come into force on 1 January 2023 in a two-day ‘super trilogue’ on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 June.
Next week promises to be crucial in the marathon negotiations on the three CAP texts. While compromises have already been reached on a number of issues, the hardest part remains (see EUROPE 12731/3).
Negotiators from the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, and the European Commission found on 28 May, after 3 days of intense negotiations, that they were unable to reach a political agreement on the reformed CAP (see EUROPE 12733/7, 12729/6).
On Monday 21 June, national experts will meet in the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) to fine-tune the last possible concessions suggested by the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council, with a view to facilitating compromises with the European Parliament.
The aim is to conclude an agreement during the ‘super trilogue’ on 24 and 25 June which, if all goes according to plan, would be endorsed by the Agriculture Council on Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 June in Luxembourg.
Strategic plans. While the EU delegations seem to agree that 25% of first pillar funds (direct aids and market expenditure) should be devoted to eco-regimes, some delegations (Ireland and Central and Eastern European countries) remain concerned about the room for manoeuvre available during the first years of implementation.
The latest proposal from the Portuguese Presidency was for a figure of 25% for eco-regimes, with a minimum rate of 18% in 2023 and 2024. Parliament said it was ready to accept 25% and a minimum rate of 22% in 2023 and 23% in 2024.
A compromise between institutions seems to be emerging around a percentage of 25% for eco-regimes and a minimum rate of 20% in 2023 and 2024. It remains to be seen whether there will be a compensation between the lower limit and the regulatory level.
Another sensitive issue is the integration of the European Green Deal into the CAP.
A majority of EU countries reportedly oppose the demands of Parliament and the Commission to integrate the quantified targets from the Farm to Fork and biodiversity strategies into the new CAP.
Parliament wants Member States to review their strategic plans by 30 June 2025 to ensure that they are aligned with EU climate and environment legislation and to submit requests to the Commission to amend their strategic plans accordingly.
The Commission presented an even more ambitious document, which was rejected by a majority of EU Agriculture Ministers (see EUROPE 12742/17).
Another issue to be decided is the funds devoted to the environment in the second pillar (rural development) and whether or not aid for areas with natural handicaps should be taken into account.
The Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council proposes that at least 35% of the total contribution of the EAFRD Fund to the CAP strategic plan be reserved for interventions targeting environmental and climate objectives, including areas with natural handicaps and animal welfare (both with a weighting factor of 60%).
Parliament calls for at least 37%, with a slightly different weighting factor (40% for areas with natural handicaps and 60% for animal welfare).
A possible compromise would be 37% EAFRD contribution and 50% (weighting factor for both natural handicap areas and animal welfare).
Good agricultural and environmental conditions. GAEC (cross compliance) is annexed to the Strategic Plans Regulation.
As regards GAEC 9 (non-productive elements), the Portuguese Presidency presents three possible options: – 4% of non-productive items; – 7% in non-productive, but 4% financed in eco-regimes and 3% in cross compliance; – 7% in productive or non-productive, of which 4% in non-productive.
Parliament wants 5% non-productive elements, while even 4% is a problem for the EU Council. The Commission had advocated a minimum percentage of 4% in 2023, rising to 6% in 2027.
Regarding GAEC 8 (crop rotation), a compromise idea would be to provide for crop rotation on arable land, except for crops growing under water.
Deadlock on pesticide residues. Regarding the regulation on the single Common Market Organisation (CMO), the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council also proposed a new version of the EU institutions’ joint declaration on international trade. This continues to include the Parliament amendment on ending import tolerance for residue limits of pesticides banned in the EU.
The parliamentary rapporteur, Eric Andrieu (S&D, France), however, insists that this amendment be included in the CMO regulation and not in a simple declaration. Mr Andrieu calls for an end to the tolerance on maximum residue levels of pesticides no later than 2025.
The EU Council and the Commission oppose the rapporteur’s idea.
Finally, on the horizontal regulation, the issue of the financing of the agricultural crisis reserve remains the main point to be settled. One possible compromise would be to provide €450 million and two options: – the Commission, in the framework of the budgetary procedure, presents a proposal for a budget corrigendum to increase the amount of this reserve; – or, in the framework of the annual budget, the two arms of the budgetary authority agree on an additional amount.
Parliament had asked for at least €450 million, while the EU Council stood by €450 million per year. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)