Experts from European Union countries made progress on Monday 14 March towards adopting market measures to ensure food security due to the disruption caused by the war in Ukraine provoked by Russia.
The European Commission has presented the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) with a list of possible market measures, including those under Article 219 of the Common Market Organisation (CMO) Regulation, namely ‘measures to prevent market disturbances’. It proposes to mobilise the agricultural crisis reserve (just under €500 million) to finance these measures.
Other measures mentioned by the Commission include aid for private storage of pigmeat, and allowing the use of set-aside land for protein crops.
The national delegations to the SCA asked the Commission to provide more details on the measures to benefit farmers (e.g. timing, sectors targeted).
Private storage. EU countries have been divided over the need to trigger aid for storage of pigmeat, especially as pigmeat prices are beginning to recover.
Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, among others, have reportedly requested such assistance. But Italy, Denmark and Germany are reportedly opposed.
The Commission intends to present a proposal on Thursday 17 March and the aid scheme for storage of pigmeat could be validated by EU countries on 23 March, if there is sufficient support.
Regarding the use of set-aside land to grow protein crops to feed livestock, most Member States were in favour. Some delegations called for additional derogations, e.g. for nitrogen fixation, for other crops or for grazing.
The need for a specific sub-section for agriculture in the proposed temporary crisis framework (state aid) in the context of the Russian invasion was stressed by some countries. Delegations stressed the need to support Ukraine with food aid and support for Ukrainian agriculture.
Several delegations to the SCA also suggested other derogations, e.g. on crop rotation/diversification.
The Agriculture Council on 21 March will review the market situation in the light of the effects of the war.
Link to the Commission’s working document: https://aeur.eu/f/re (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)