The reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), scheduled in two years’ time, will see a continued move toward environmental and green payments for farmers.

The European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan, said there was a “high environmental ambition” and that green rules were a “cornerstone of the future CAP proposal”.

The Commissioner hopes the next CAP will help countries reach obligations under the Paris Agreement and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. There are to be eco-schemes in pillar I and more agri-environment and climate change measures in pillar II.

At a recent debate, farm ministers from Romania, Germany, Spain, Demark and Finland called for higher standards. Meanwhile, representatives from Portugal, Lithuania, Ireland, Slovakia, Poland France Czech and Hungary wanted to ensure there was enough money in the budget to hit higher environmental goals.

The Baltic States again took the opportunity to highlight the different levels of funding per hectare across the EU.

The majority was in favour of at least 30% of pillar II funding being spent on environmental and climate change schemes. There was even a commitment by the European Commissioner for Agriculture that he would look at bringing environmental schemes out with capping requirements.

It appears that the Westminster Agriculture Bill and Defra Secretary Michael Gove’s plans to increase environmental payments in England are more and more in tune with the continental aspirations for farm payments.