Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon has described an agreement reached at the Agrifish Council as a “major milestone” in agreeing the EU’s next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
The unanimous agreement was reached at the meeting in Luxembourg yesterday for a Partial General Approach (PGA) on the regulation establishing the framework for CAP funding from 2028 to 2034.
The PGA is a provisional agreement that sets a framework for CAP discussions.
Speaking after chairing the EU Council meeting, Minister Heydon said it is “a major milestone on the road to the next CAP, and follows months of intensive engagement with Member States and the European Commission to develop a balanced compromise”.
“This unanimous agreement is the Council’s blueprint for a flexible and farmer-focused CAP to support the next generation of European farmers,” he said.
Minister Heydon added the agreement is “an important step, but it is not the end of the process. The Council’s position will now provide the basis for negotiations with the European Parliament on the final shape of the Regulation.”
The main elements of the PGA for the future CAP include simplifying the framework and tailoring it to national and regional needs, more targeted income supports for active farmers and investing in the next generation of farmers.
The minister said the agreement “reinforces the focus on ensuring that support reaches active farmers, and strengthens the emphasis on generational renewal, whilst maintaining environmental ambitions.
“It also provides Member States with a range of familiar tools to support farm viability and to respond to the needs of their farming sectors, as well as new tools to meet new and evolving challenges,” he said.
“This regulation includes the ability to support both full time and part time farmers, provide a flexible package of supports for generational renewal, including supporting the older generation and deliver a full range of tailored supports,” he added.
The final CAP will be subject to agreement with the European Parliament.
Commenting on the agreement, President of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Francie Gorman said “without a proper budget it will mean nothing”.
“The EU Budget (MFF) proposal put forward by the Irish Presidency will see a 24% cut in payments to Irish farmers. If the budget doesn’t change then this partial agreement will be hollow,” Mr Gorman said.
Mr Gorman added that some of the changes agreed “could make more items eligible for the proposed ring-fenced amount for the CAP”.
The IFA President said the Government “must communicate immediately” its plans to “resolve the budgetary issues relating to the next CAP programming period”.
