Delays caused by the novel coronavirus Covid-19 to the ongoing reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) could mean a gap of up to two years between the current CAP and the new policy, according to MEP and First Vice-President of the European Parliament Mairead McGuinness.

In a statement to AgriLand today, Friday, March 13, the MEP warned that the Covid-19 crisis has already disrupted the normal working of both the parliament and committees at EU level.

Reduced agenda

“This week instead of a full sitting in Strasbourg, we had a very much reduced agenda in Brussels with precautions, including social distancing in place,” McGuinness said.

A decision to stop all parliamentary work for the coming week has already been taken with MEPs remaining in their home countries and staff teleworking.

She noted that, as a result, the meeting of the agriculture committee due this coming week will not take place.

Continuing, she added:

“We are dealing with the ongoing CAP reform and the transitional measures to bridge the unavoidable gap between the current CAP and the new CAP.

That gap is now more likely to be a two-year period, if the Covid-19 crisis continues.

The MEP explained that the CAP reform process involved work at European Council and Parliament level, while it also involved the Environment and Agriculture Parliamentary Committees.

“We had planned to vote on the reforms in June. Whether this is now possible will depend on how long the disruption caused by the Covid-19 crisis lasts.

Planned return

Commenting on the European Parliament’s return date, McGuinness warned: “I understand that today there are additional measures in place in Belgium arising from the crisis and this may have an impact on our planned return to Brussels on the March 23.

“We are also expecting that the farm-to-fork strategy and the biodiversity strategy would be launched the week after next but, given the disruption of our work programme, I believe that these strategies may not be unveiled as planned.

We will have to prioritise work in committees and deal only with essential legislative issues, including CAP reform when normal business resumes.

“The contentious issue of when the MFF (Multiannual Financial Framework) will be decided may also be impacted by the focus at EU and member state level on dealing with the public health, economic and social problems arising from Covid-19.

“That said, we are aware that farmers need certainty and I will be insisting that, when work can proceed on the reforms, we should not allow for further delays,” McGuinness concluded.