European ministers will continue their debate on the legislative proposals for the 2028–2034 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on Monday, 23 February.
In anticipation of the debate in the EU Council (see EUROPE 13797/12), the Cyprus Presidency of the Council has issued a note (https://aeur.eu/f/kpq ) explaining that in readiness for Member States’ preparation of CAP interventions in their ‘National and Regional Partnership Plans’, CAP national recommendations appear to be the main mechanism by which EU policy can be steered so as to ensure a level playing field among Member States.
As set out in Article 2 of the regulation on the post-2027 CAP, these recommendations would be adopted by the European Commission after a dialogue with Member States and based on an analysis of the state of the agricultural sector in each Member State. They would identify the main challenges related to relevant CAP objectives—notably farm income and competitiveness, generational renewal, climate and environmental performance, resilience to risks and crises, and access to knowledge and digitalisation.
Discussions within the EU Council have emphasised the importance of clarity with regard to the scope and nature of CAP national recommendations. As stipulated in Article 288 TFEU, CAP recommendations are not binding; they are considered to be a strategic steering instrument.
Ministers will discuss the scope of national recommendations, the relationship between these recommendations and the overall design of other national and regional interventions, and the projected timeline for these recommendations. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)