The European Commission said on Tuesday 10 May that it hoped before the end of the summer to be able to adopt the national strategy plans of EU countries that implement the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Several MEPs, including Herbert Dorfmann (EPP, Italy) and Clara Aguilera (S&D, Spain), said the deadlines seemed too short in order to ensure that the new CAP would enter into force on 1 January 2023.
Speaking to members of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, the European Commission representative said that the strategic plans will have to take into account the effects of the war in Ukraine and the future resilience of the agricultural sector.
By 18 March, the Commission had received all of the strategic plans. Twenty observation letters have been sent by the European Commission to the countries concerned and it is preparing to send them by the end of May to Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Germany. It is possible that the letter to Belgium could be sent by 15 June.
Sustainability. The European Commission has called on countries to do more in the plans regarding measures to meet climate and environmental targets and has called for improved risk management tools, including tools to help reduce dependency on fertilisers (see EUROPE 12927/15).
Member States have emphasised the fact in their replies that strategic plans should be adopted within the established legal framework, the Commission said.
In answering questions from MEPs, the European Commission noted the “constant and structured” dialogue being held with each of the EU countries to resolve the issues raised in the observation letters.
Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, Germany) noted that wheat prices had doubled and that there was a risk that farmers would “give up on eco-regimes to plant wheat”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)