A second last-ditch attempt to seal a CAP compromise before EU policymakers head off on summer holidays got under way on Thursday afternoon in Brussels.

Two intense days of technical talks, known as trilogues, have been scheduled and negotiators are confident that a deal can be struck before the end of June.

Talks between MEPs and agricultural ministers collapsed at the end of May primarily due to differences over the budget for eco schemes and the redistribution of payments among farmers.

Priorities

Leading talks for the European Council is Portuguese minister for agriculture Maria do Céu Antunes. Her term as Council president ends on 30 June.

“We are approaching the end of the Portuguese presidency and that is why this is our last super trilogue and we hope that it will also be the last super trilogue,” minister Antunes said.

“We intend to complete the CAP reform during this semester. We need to guarantee predictability to farmers, so that they can implement this CAP, that we want renewed with greater environmental, social and also economic ambition.”

European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski acts as a broker between both sides in the talks. He is hopeful that a compromise will be found.

“The position of both co-legislators is very close,” the Commissioner said.

“There are some certain politically sensitive issues. I think that this trilogue, the last available during Portuguese presidency, will be successful.”

Eco schemes

German MEP Peter Jahr heads up negotiations for the European Parliament on the most contentious CAP file, the strategic plan regulation.

He identified differences in opinion on eco schemes as the most divisive issue.

“We have to talk about, for example, how much percentage and what does it mean the eco schemes?

"How could we make sure that the Council is complying? How could we make sure that the member states do not give back the money to Brussels?” Jahr said.