Farmers and state bodies in charge of managing CAP funds around the EU won't know the rules applicable to farm payments after 2020 until the end of this year at best, European agriculture ministers decided this Tuesday at a meeting in Bucharest, Romania.
The ministers have agreed the two least controversial regulations, said Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Petre Daea, who holds the rotating presidency of the council of farm ministers until the end of this month.
But they have parked talks on the rules for so-called strategic plans due to detail how each country will deliver direct payments and rural development schemes.
We still have to work on the strategic plans
"We concluded the regulation on the common market organisation and the one on funding and management," said Minister Daea.
"Of course, we still have to work on the strategic plans because this regulation is linked to the future decision on the multi-annual financial framework and in this respect, most ministers think we should adopt the general approach when we have a decision on the sums that will be foreseen for the CAP."
No agreement on budget
The multi-annual financial framework (MFF) is the EU's budget for the period 2021-2027 and there is no agreement among member states on how to accommodate the Brexit shortfall and competing demands for funds from security and migration policies, with proposed cuts to the CAP budget.
A budget decision has now been postponed until October.
European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan agreed with the minister's decision to suspend progress on CAP rules.
Instead, they will prepare a progress report for their next meeting in Luxembourg in two weeks' time on preparations made so far, for EU institutions to take up where they left off after a budget is agreed.
"I fully support the president’s approach of having a comprehensive progress report at the Luxembourg meeting and then the Finnish presidency can take it from there and hopefully conclude a strong budget, which is our ultimate objective for our farmers, and a good policy that simplifies and modernises the CAP for the next seven years," Commissioner Hogan said.
New European Parliament
Adding to the complication is the arrival of a new European Parliament after last month's election, with new MEPs also due to sign off on any final plan for the next CAP.
However, Paolo De Castro, outgoing vice-chair of the Parliament's agriculture committee, said he didn't expect major change there.
The Parliament had no clear majority in the past legislature, yet always manage to find agreement buy building alliances on different issues. "We combine the majority in function of a single subject," De Castro said, adding that he expected the same to happen in the next Parliament.
Read more
Ireland ramps up preparations for CAP 2020
CAP analysis irrelevant until regulation is decided - Creed
MEPs vote in favour of Hogan’s more flexible CAP
Farm payments could be hit by stalled CAP negotiations
Dutch rule out increase in CAP budget contribution
Farmers and state bodies in charge of managing CAP funds around the EU won't know the rules applicable to farm payments after 2020 until the end of this year at best, European agriculture ministers decided this Tuesday at a meeting in Bucharest, Romania.
The ministers have agreed the two least controversial regulations, said Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Petre Daea, who holds the rotating presidency of the council of farm ministers until the end of this month.
But they have parked talks on the rules for so-called strategic plans due to detail how each country will deliver direct payments and rural development schemes.
We still have to work on the strategic plans
"We concluded the regulation on the common market organisation and the one on funding and management," said Minister Daea.
"Of course, we still have to work on the strategic plans because this regulation is linked to the future decision on the multi-annual financial framework and in this respect, most ministers think we should adopt the general approach when we have a decision on the sums that will be foreseen for the CAP."
No agreement on budget
The multi-annual financial framework (MFF) is the EU's budget for the period 2021-2027 and there is no agreement among member states on how to accommodate the Brexit shortfall and competing demands for funds from security and migration policies, with proposed cuts to the CAP budget.
A budget decision has now been postponed until October.
European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan agreed with the minister's decision to suspend progress on CAP rules.
Instead, they will prepare a progress report for their next meeting in Luxembourg in two weeks' time on preparations made so far, for EU institutions to take up where they left off after a budget is agreed.
"I fully support the president’s approach of having a comprehensive progress report at the Luxembourg meeting and then the Finnish presidency can take it from there and hopefully conclude a strong budget, which is our ultimate objective for our farmers, and a good policy that simplifies and modernises the CAP for the next seven years," Commissioner Hogan said.
New European Parliament
Adding to the complication is the arrival of a new European Parliament after last month's election, with new MEPs also due to sign off on any final plan for the next CAP.
However, Paolo De Castro, outgoing vice-chair of the Parliament's agriculture committee, said he didn't expect major change there.
The Parliament had no clear majority in the past legislature, yet always manage to find agreement buy building alliances on different issues. "We combine the majority in function of a single subject," De Castro said, adding that he expected the same to happen in the next Parliament.
Read more
Ireland ramps up preparations for CAP 2020
CAP analysis irrelevant until regulation is decided - Creed
MEPs vote in favour of Hogan’s more flexible CAP
Farm payments could be hit by stalled CAP negotiations
Dutch rule out increase in CAP budget contribution
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