The committee on agriculture in the European Parliament has taken a fundamental decision in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic: adopt the transitional regulation which will prolong the Common Agriculture Policy rules for two more years and avoid the 4% cut to the direct payments and the 15% to the rural development. On the basis of this crucial decision, the EU Parliament will now kick off the interinstitutional negotiations (trilogue) on the rules which must be in place for farmers from January next year.

S&D shadow rapporteur on the CAP transitional provisions file, Clara Aguilera García, commented:

“When the sector is facing huge disruption because of the COVID-19 impact, what our farmers need most is some certainty. I will be vigilant in the rapid negotiation and conclusion of this file in the next few weeks.

“The most important part of these rules is the guarantee of payment of aid to European farmers, livestock producers and other beneficiaries of the CAP, after the end of the multi-annual budgetary framework at the end of this year, and the entry into force of the CAP reform, that presumably it will not be before 2023.

“Last but not least, we have rejected unacceptable cuts in allocations and resources to CAP and the support for outermost regions (POSEI) throughout the transitional period and in the future reformed CAP.”

The S&D coordinator on the committee on agriculture, Paolo De Castro, added:

“In this extraordinary and dramatic time, the whole agriculture sector has shown its crucial role. With this important vote, it was our duty to ensure legal certainty and stronger tools to tackle famers' risks and market crises.

“This is a great result for the S&D Group, but overall, it’s great news for our European farmers and agri-food workers who, everyday, despite the coronavirus threat, put their health at risk in order to provide healthy and quality food to all EU consumers.”

 

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