The Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament has once again urged the European Commission on the eve of decisive financial discussions not to cut the CAP agricultural subsidies. The EU Commissioners are expected to present their drastic revision of all European budgets today.
In a non-binding resolution, the Agriculture Committee reiterates its opposition to CAP cuts and states that the amount for agricultural policy must be maintained at the current level. Earlier documents by the EU Commission have accounted for a multi-billion cut to the CAP. Moreover, hundreds of billions in additional funding now need to be accessed for a mega corona aid package. The resolution to not cut will be voted on in mid-May in the full European Parliament, after the new 2021-2027 budgets have been presented.
Since it is not expected that the new budgets will be ready on time, the Agriculture Committee has unanimously agreed that the current rules and procedures for the CAP will also apply next year (2021). And for good measure, they have also already decided this for 2022.
As expected, the MEPs further advocate that the agricultural sector should also have access to the new corona recovery fund, so that farmers, like other industries, can receive compensation for income losses caused by adverse weather conditions and outbreaks of animal or plant diseases or other pests.
The Parliament already warned at the end of last year that delays in the EU long-term budget would harm EU citizens and businesses, urging the Commission to propose an emergency plan. The reform of European agricultural policy is closely linked to the enhanced plans for Environmental and Climate Policy in the Green Deal, which in turn depend on the EU long-term budget 2021-2027. Ultimately, the 27 governments, the European Commission, and the European Parliament must agree on this.
During the Agriculture Committee meeting, it was also announced that forty MEPs from almost all parties from twelve agriculture-oriented countries have requested Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski to include plant and flower cultivation for a temporary corona bridging loan. Wojciechowski will first need to secure additional funds for this.
The letter warns of a domino effect in which specialized stores could also disappear. Recently, many festivities and events have been canceled, causing the flower and plant sectors to already suffer major losses. The domino effect brings the entire sector to the brink of collapse, according to the letter.