On Monday 13 December, the EU agriculture ministers asked for flexibility in the timetable for the presentation of their national strategic plans to implement the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
In a joint paper, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Luxembourg regret that exchanges with the European Commission on secondary CAP legislation only started in September (see EUROPE 12848/15). Furthermore, they are concerned about the addition of further provisions in the implementing and delegated acts.
Supported by Estonia, the Czech Republic reported that it would not be able to meet the 31 December 2021 deadline for submitting its strategic plan. Belgium also complained about the very tight timetable, and Ireland spoke of a huge effort to present the strategic plan on time.
Latvia also asked the European Commission to be flexible. Malta felt that presenting its plan on time constituted a real challenge.
Romania asked the European Commission to be flexible and to postpone the deadline to 1 March 2022, partly because of the delay in adopting secondary legislation.
Bulgaria and the Czech Republic criticised the need to include information on pesticide use in the geospatial monitoring system.
Sweden and France felt that secondary legislation contained some requirements that went beyond what was provided for in the basic CAP acts.
Hungary criticised the European Parliament’s decision to delay its green light on two delegated acts on the CAP.
The European Commission has been firm in pointing out that CAP strategic plans must be submitted by 1 January 2022, the deadline set out in the strategic plan regulation. “We expect Member States to submit their plans in accordance with this deadline”, concluded EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)