Agreement has been reached on key points in the trilogue on the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) reforms in Brussels, Agriland understands.
These include agreement on convergence, eco-schemes and redistributive payments.
While some details remain to be ironed out, sources have indicated that a deal will be confirmed in the coming hours.
On convergence, it will be set at 85%, i.e. all direct payments will be brought up to 85% of a national average payment. However, member states can set a higher rate of convergence if they wish.
In terms of eco-schemes, these will see 25% of direct payments ringfenced for funding.
However, it is understood that the learning period sought after, by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and others, has been agreed.
This will see the ringfencing of funds decreased to 20%. The learning period will be for the first two years of the policy (2023 and 2024).
If member states fail to fund eco-schemes to 20% during the learning period, they will have to make that funding up throughout the remainder of the CAP.
On redistribution of payments, this has been set at 10% of direct payments, and is formally mandatory.
However, a member state can potentially avail of an exemption to this if redistribution is achieved in other ways, such as through increased convergence.
The exact criteria for allowing a member state to avail of an exemption is still to be agreed, Agriland understands.
Some disagreement also remains over the labour cost write-off where capping is concerned, with the council of agriculture ministers seeking a 100% write-off and the EU parliament seeking 50%.
Finally (for now), on the Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs), specifically GAEC 2, dealing with peatlands, it appears that there will be no reason that these lands will be prevented from being farmed.
Stay tuned to Agriland for more on the CAP trilogue as it progresses.