The Portuguese presidency of the European Council has reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform for 2023-2027.
The council has said this afternoon (Friday, June 25) that the deal paves the way for a simpler, fairer and greener CAP, that will provide a sustainable future for European farmers.
The new CAP bolsters environmental measures and also includes provisions to ensure greater support for smaller farms and help young farmers enter the profession, according to a statement from the council.
Portuguese Minister for Agriculture, Maria do Céu Antunes said: “We are very pleased with the progress we’ve made in the last two days, which gives us confidence that we have the conditions in place to reach an agreement.
“However, the proposals must be approved by the member states and only then we can truly say whether we’ve reached a deal or not.”
Meeting of agriculture ministers
The agreement is provisional pending approval by the EU’s agriculture ministers at the upcoming Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting, which will take place on Monday and Tuesday, June 28-29.
The trilpogue talks covered all three regulations that made up the CAP reform package, and focused on some of the outstanding negotiation points, including:
- The minimum budget for direct payments for eco schemes and the establishment of a learning period for member states;
- Mandatory minimum level of internal convergence for direct payments;
- Greater redistribution of direct payments;
- Inclusion of a social dimension in the CAP;
- Alignment of the CAP with the European Green Deal.
Following the introduction of a transitional arrangement at the end of 2020, the new CAP will take effect from 2023-2027.
Background on CAP
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) accounts for around a third of the EU’s budget. Its aim is to:
- Provide affordable, safe food for EU citizens;
- Ensure a fair standard of living for farmers;
- Preserve natural resources and respect the environment.
On June 1, 2018, the European Commission presented three legislative proposals aimed at making the CAP fit for the future.
The main aspects of the proposals were:
- More targeted direct payments and rural development interventions, both subject to strategic planning;
- A new ‘green’ architecture based on environmental conditions to be met by farmers and additional voluntary measures under both pillars;
- A performance-based approach (the ‘new delivery model’) whereby member states would have to report their achievements each year.
In October 2020, under the German presidency, the council agreed its negotiating position, or ‘general approach’, on the reform of the CAP.
This included increasing the environmental ambition of the CAP, in line with the aims of the European Green Deal.
Stay tuned as Agriland will bring you all the latest news from Brussels in relation to the CAP talks and formalisation of an agreement.