On Monday 23 June, the agriculture ministers of the EU Member States once again insisted on their desire to retain decision-making powers over the proposed simplification of the rules governing the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
This ‘omnibus’ text falls within the remit of the General Affairs Council, as do other similar simplification texts (see EUROPE 13640/8).
“This is a political problem that reduces the Member States’ ability to act”, protested Luis Planas, the Spanish minister, who also made a number of fundamental criticisms. Spain is opposed to the possibility of making additional payments in the event of a climate crisis via the first pillar (direct aid and market expenditure). It is also seeking clarification on the link between the proposals to simplify the CAP strategic plans and the proposal on CAP reform expected on 16 July.
Italy has asked the Member States’ ambassadors to the EU (Coreper) to support maintaining the powers of the Agriculture Council and the SCA on this simplification text. A request supported by France, Austria, Slovakia, Portugal, Belgium and Hungary.
Germany has expressed reservations about the provisions on pastureland and small farmers, believing that they should remain optional.
Ireland has asked for ‘social conditionality’ to be removed.
France has formulated three major points of special attention. Firstly, the common nature of the CAP must be preserved. In this sense, the possibility of financing the ‘GAEC2’ (Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions 2) bonds does not seem relevant, according to the French minister, Annie Genevard. She believes that the removal of the Annual Performance Clearance should be applied in full. And the creation of a new data governance body is not seen as a simplification and should be removed, according to France and other Member States.
France has also requested: - that the complementary income support for young farmers may be applied to any installation, including within a company that has already hosted a beneficiary of this support; - that winegrowers cultivating less than 10 hectares and receiving vineyard restructuring aid be exempt from cross-compliance checks.
Christophe Hansen, the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, hoped that this dossier would be brought to a successful conclusion under the Danish Presidency of the Council, which begins on 1 July. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)