The European Commission is to publish a detailed set of recommendations for all 27 EU member states on what schemes they should offer to farmers in the next CAP to help meet environmental targets.

Targets include a cut in pesticide and antibiotic use, a cut in fertiliser use, an increase in organic farming, and setting aside farmland for biodiversity.

The recommendations, set to be unveiled in mid-December, will detail what each country should do to help meet those targets.

The Commission is engaged in an intensive back-and-forth with all member states to finalise the 27 different proposals. Officials from the Department of Agriculture met with the Commission last week to discuss the options for Ireland.

These will be based on a detailed assessment of the country carried out by EU officials and will be limited to a maximum of 15 recommendations focused on the key challenges for Ireland.

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European Commission set to publish options for future CAP schemes

All 27 EU countries are to recevie a set of recommendations from the European Commission on what schemes they shoudl offer to farmers in the next CAP.