The European Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers will meet in Brussels on Monday 17 November under the chairmanship of Denmark’s Jacob Jensen to discuss the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2028-2034 and to take stock once again of the agricultural aspects of the free trade agreements with certain third countries, including Ukraine.
On 16 July, the Commission presented its proposals for the CAP after 2027. The first discussion, at the Agriculture Council meeting in October, focused on green architecture (see EUROPE 13739/1). The second will look at how targeted support for farmers can contribute to food security.
The proposal includes a number of changes to the current framework: Member States will have to carry out an analysis to ensure that aid is targeted at the farmers who need it most, and degressivity and capping obligations have been introduced.
In addition, Italy, supported by Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia, has drafted a note which it will present to the EU Council, once again criticising the draft national and regional partnership plans and the regulations on the 2028-2034 CAP. The idea of merging the 2028-2034 CAP into a single fund that would also encompass cohesion policy, fisheries and even instruments for migration and security “does not meet the needs expressed by Member States, nor does it achieve the simplification repeatedly called for in this EU Council and needed by farmers”, according to the Italian note (https://aeur.eu/f/jf9 ).
Italy will also be discussing, under ‘miscellaneous’, the future of the EU rice sector and the need for a common strategy in this area (https://aeur.eu/f/jfd ).
Food safety. Olivér Várhelyi, the Commissioner for Health, will present the work being done to simplify the rules in the areas of animal, plant and food health. Other miscellaneous items will concern the following subjects: international standards in the food chain (information from the Commission), phytosanitary risks threatening European wine production (request from Hungary), agricultural statistics on the use of pesticides (information from Germany), the threat posed by the reed glasswing cicada (information from Germany) and the use of plant protection products (request from Italy).
Trade. In view of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU has proposed that the exchange of views on trade agreements should focus on the issue of closer relations between the EU and Ukraine (see EUROPE 13739/11). Ministers will also have the opportunity to discuss any other subject they consider important.
Under ‘miscellaneous’, Belgium will discuss the Chinese anti-dumping investigation into European pork and the need to guarantee fair competition (https://aeur.eu/f/jfc ).
Fisheries. Ministers will debate two proposals concerning Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and 2026 quotas in the Atlantic and North Sea (see EUROPE 13741/3) and fishing opportunities in the Mediterranean and Black Sea (see EUROPE 13714/3). These exchanges of views will help to streamline discussions and prepare for a political agreement at the December Fisheries Council.
In addition, the Spanish Minister, Luis Planas, will present ideas for reforming the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
Other ‘miscellaneous’ items include: - simplification of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) (information from Finland); - the need to ensure adequate support for the aquaculture sector (information from Slovakia). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)