Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon is travelling to Denmark today (Sunday, September 7) for an informal meeting of the EU AgriFish Council.

The meeting is taking place in Copenhagen under the Danish EU Presidency.

The programme for the meeting is focused around innovation, competitiveness and accelerating the green transition of the EU agri-food sector.

Minister Heydon said that the event provides "a timely opportunity" to engage with his EU counterparts on the next long-term EU budget or Multi-Annual Framework (MFF) and Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2027.

In July, the European Commission brought forward its proposals on the next MFF and CAP.

"Those proposals are just the starting point in a lengthy negotiating process," Minister Heydon said.

Speaking ahead of the informal AgriFish Council meeting, Minister Heydon said his priorities for the next CAP “remain unchanged"

"A CAP that is more straightforward for farmers; more flexible and responsive; with an appropriate balance between economic, social and environmental sustainability; and with an adequate budget for an effective CAP," he said.

Minister Heydon will also hold a bilateral meeting with Stefan Krajewski, the new Polish Minister of Food, Agriculture and Rural Development.

Among the topics to be discussed during this meeting are the controversial EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement.

The EU Commission put forward its proposal to ratify the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA) this week.

However, the deal has faced strong criticism from some member states, including Ireland and France, along with farm organisations.

The concerns relate to the 99,000t of Mercosur beef which would be allowed to enter the EU market with a 7.5% duty under the agreement.

The Irish government is currently examining the proposal to see if it "provides any of the additional assurances required".

“The Irish position on Mercosur is well known - along with the Tánaiste [Simon Harris] who has lead responsibility for trade policy, I have actively engaged with both the European Commission and with agriculture ministers across the EU to voice Ireland’s concerns," Minister Heydon said.

"I am keen to understand the response of Poland and other like-minded member states to the commission’s recent proposals for ratification of the agreement," he added.