At a meeting of EU agriculture ministers today (Monday, April 26), Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue expressed a number of concerns over European Parliament proposals for the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

The issue of CAP reform is set to be hammered out by the parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission in a series of ‘trilogues’.

However, there is a difference of opinion between the council and the parliament on key points.

Minister McConalogue pointed out today that “an essential feature” of CAP reform was supposed to be greater flexibility for member states, arguing for that to be maintained.

For that reason, the minister said, he “could not agree” to a proposal that member states would have to mandatorily implement environmental targets unless the commission said so in the approval process for member states’ CAP strategic plans.

“I have always been clear that the new ‘green architecture’ [of CAP] must firstly encourage and support farmers to achieve higher ambition; secondly, be straightforward and simple for members states to administer, with appropriate national flexibility; and thirdly, and crucially, not involve serious risks of the loss of funding,” the minister told his European counterparts.

“We all know that compromise is needed, but we must compromise to make things better; to make things easier for farmers, simpler for members states, and more effective in achieving beneficial outcomes for all.”

On the issue of how much Pillar I funding should be ringfenced for eco-schemes, Minister McConalogue commented: “Ireland accepted 20% in the council approach, but I’m afraid we simply cannot consider the issue of the percentage allocation in isolation. There are far too many issues that are still unresolved.

The debate over the percentage of Pillar I funds going to eco-schemes stems from the parliament’s position seeking a higher percentage. Today’s meeting of agriculture ministers discussed the possibility of increasing the 20% figure gradually over the lifetime of the next CAP as a compromise with the parliament.

However, Minister McConalogue said: “There are changes in the direct payment envelope that farmers must contend with; convergence; redistribution; capping; [and] allocations to young farmers. We do not yet have certainty on any of these.”

The minister also firmly defended the council’s proposal for a two-year ‘learning phase’ for the eco-schemes, arguing that without such a ‘trial period’ to ease member states into administering the new schemes, it may result in a loss of funds if not done effectively.

“In the absence of any sense that the parliament is willing to accept these flexibilities, combined with the fact that we have no resolution on the targeting proposals, I find myself unable to consider any change in the eco-scheme percentage,” the minister insisted.