The Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture, Veronika Vrecionová (ECR, Czech), is preparing to send a letter to the relevant Commissioners protesting against the simultaneous presentation on 16 July of legislative proposals on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034.
This initiative, approved by the committee’s political group coordinators on Tuesday 3 June, comes from the S&D group “and reflects growing concern among members about the anticipated timing and nature of the forthcoming Commission proposals”, according to an internal European Parliament memo. This timetable would severely limit Parliament’s ability to provide input before the legislative process is launched (see EUROPE 13639/22).
The European Parliament needs sufficient time to assess the MFF proposal before considering its implications for CAP legislation, according to the arguments put forward. The letter mentions that the agricultural sector has expressed strong opposition to the idea of a single fund for the CAP, which could “threaten the policy’s dedicated financial envelope and open the door to further re-nationalisation”.
The Committee on Agriculture is currently focusing on amendments aimed at empowering farmers in the food supply chain and is expecting new proposals on ‘strategic plans’ (simplification package). Concerns were also expressed about the Commission’s ability to present a “coherent and technically sound” CAP reform proposal in such a short space of time. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)