On Monday 21 March, the majority of EU agriculture ministers welcomed the initial emergency measures proposed by the European Commission to help farmers affected by the impact of the Russian-led war in Ukraine. Several countries, however, have called for further support measures for farmers.
The Ministers were deeply moved by the statement made by their Ukrainian counterpart, Roman Leshchenko, during a video conference on the disasters caused by the war. They emphasised the need to provide Ukraine with food aid and products (fuel, seeds).
On 23 March, the European Commission will formally present a package of measures (https://aeur.eu/f/vj ) including private storage aid for pork meat and emergency aid of €500 million, which can be topped up by up to 200% in co-financing from Member States (i.e. €1.5 billion in total).
€350 million of the €500 million will come from the reserve for crisis in the agricultural sector (see EUROPE 12913/3).
The European Commission will also propose: - a temporary derogation from the CAP greening rules to allow cultivation to take place on set-aside land; - authorising Member States to pay higher levels of advance payments on direct payments made to farmers; - establishing a new temporary crisis framework for State aid.
Lots of ministers have also stressed the need for further measures.
The Dutch delegation called for a derogation from the Nitrates Directive to allow the use of bio-based fertilisers, a request that is also supported by several countries (Belgium, Greece, etc.)
Several ministers have called for action to be taken over fertilisers to ensure that there are no shortages in the coming season.
Romania and Latvia, in particular, have called for a review of the objectives of the ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy. Germany, on the other hand, wants to keep these targets.
The European Commission is not in favour of a request put forward by several countries to draw on funds from rural development programmes.
Plant proteins. A group of 20 countries, led by Austria, has asked the Commission to develop an EU strategy on plant proteins, something that is now more urgent than ever because of the war in Ukraine.
“The European Commission does not intend to adopt a European strategy on plant proteins, but it does support national initiatives in this area ”, replied Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski. The Commission has also decided, given the context of the war, to allow the cultivation of certain nitrogen-fixing plants (clover, alfalfa, etc.) and to review the rules pertaining to set-aside land in order to stimulate the production of protein crops, according to the Commissioner.
Furthermore, the agricultural organisations Copa-Cogeca, FEFAC and EUROSEEDS have adopted a joint position to call, (https://aeur.eu/f/v8 ) on Monday, for the Commission to play “a leading role” in promoting the cultivation and use of plant proteins of European origin. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)