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April 2020

Negotiations for the EU Budget / Monthly watch April 2020

The month of April was marked by:

  • At the level of the European Parliament, MEPs reiterated their call for an increase in the Multiannual Financial Framework and ComAgri specifically expressed its opposition to any reduction in the CAP budget.
  • At the level of the European Commission, the submission of the revised MFF, including an Union recovery program, originally scheduled for May 6, has been postponed to May 13. The MFF itself seems to have left the CAP budget reduction proposals unchanged (see FE’s assessment of the EU recovery program, email of 30 April).
  • Since then, the Commissioner has sought the support and guidance of a key Member of the European Parliament to intercede in favour of the CAP with the President of the Commission in order to “substantially increase” the planned budget.

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Wine sector / monthly watch april 2020

Wine news continues to be marked in this April by the Covid-19 pandemic. Various associations, professional wine organizations (Italian, Spanish, French wine cooperatives, CEEV, EFOW) asked the European Union for help during this month of April following the Covid-19 pandemic.

At European level, the European Commission adopted a package of exceptional measures on the 22nd of April, notably to help the wine sector. On April 30, the Agriculture Commissioner acknowledged the inadequacy of the measures proposed during a meeting of the European Parliament’s Agricultural Committee, without, however, presenting new ones.

The European Commission is announcing declining figures for wine consumption in the coming months.

Finally, at the global level, according to the OIV, low volumes are expected for 2020 in the majority of the countries of the southern hemisphere, with the exception of South Africa and Uruguay, following initial estimates of production.

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New variety breeding techniques / Monthly watch April 2020

This April has seen several studies, reports, interviews concerning new variety breeding technologies published.
From the US, the USDA released a report on biotechnology in the United Kingdom, saying that in the short term, the United Kingdom is unlikely to change its legislation, due to the proximity to the EU.

Transitional provisions for EAFRD and EAGF support in the year 2021 and until the CAP reform is in place

Comagri MEPs yesterday voted on the position they intend the European Parliament to take in negotiations with the Council (and the Commission) on the CAP transitional provisions until the future CAP reform, which they foresee for 1 January 2023 at the earliest, is in place. This position should officially become that of the European Parliament at the next mini-plenary in May.

Covid-19 : Exchange of views with Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski

Transitional provisions relating to the support of the EAFRD and the EAGF during the year 2021 and until the implementation of the CAP reform

After mentioning the main agricultural sectors hit by the crisis, the Commissioner recalled the actions already taken by the Commission in reaction to the crisis. With regard to market interventions, the Commissioner mentioned that, at the end of the programming period, the funds available were very limited. He finally – without anything new – transferred responsibility for the action to the member states, through state aid and unrestricted funds for rural development.

The coordinators of the parliamentary groups reacted to the intervention of the Commissioner and stated:

  • That the current measures are useful but insufficient;
  • Finding funds is essential to support sectors during and after the crisis;
  • It is necessary to use intervention measures on the markets and to use the emergency measures of the CMO regulation (art.219-222), including the crisis reserve;
  • The necessary legal changes must be made so that MS can use the funds of the 2nd pillar for farms and processing companies;
  • The F2F and Biodiversity strategies (except for the Greens) must be postponed until after the crisis;
  • The importance of food security will need to be reflected in the future MFF.

Concerning the transitional CAP regulation, the package of amendments for crisis management and agricultural risks was not mentioned by the rapporteur Elsi Katainen, but the shadow rapporteur for the EPP underlined this point and indicated that this is an essential point for the group. She had registered before the start of the session the support of the S&D group. He had registered the support of the S&D group before the start of the session.

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