The European Commission is allowing EU countries two exemptions from the new Common Agricultural Policy again next year.
Due to looming grain shortages on the world market caused by the war in Ukraine, European arable farmers were already permitted this year to forgo mandatory crop rotation and partial set-aside.
According to the European Commission, an additional year of exemption could yield the equivalent of an extra 1.5 million hectares of farmland for grain production. Every ton of grain produced in the EU will contribute to greater global food security, it is argued.
This spring, the EU lifted some restrictions in agricultural policy because the Russian war in Ukraine and Western sanctions against Russia threatened a large part of the grain export. Opinions and assessments differ on this matter.
It remains unclear whether and how a potential swift resumption of exports via the Black Sea will affect this.
Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski wrote on Twitter last Friday that he welcomes the decision. It had earlier become clear that especially Commissioners Frans Timmermans (Climate) and Virginijus SinkeviÄŤius (Environment) are opposed to relaxing the Green Deal criteria. According to insiders in Brussels, it was EC President Ursula von der Leyen who pushed for a temporary postponement.
EU member states may decide for themselves in their national strategic agricultural plans (NSPs) whether and how they will make use of these exemptions. This will become clear in the coming months.
Most EU countries had pushed for this extension, but other countries were more hesitant. They believe that Green Deal provisions and climate criteria should not be abandoned or relaxed within agricultural policy.
For example, German Minister of Agriculture Cem Ă–zdemir believes that the extra agricultural capacity may be used for growing grain for human consumption but not for maize or soy for animal feed for consumer meat. German agricultural organizations have urged him not to introduce exceptions in Germany.
According to unconfirmed reports in the German media, Ă–zdemir agreed to the exemption for 2023 on the condition that Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski will later this year also present proposals to combat the still large global overproduction and food waste.