The implementation of the new European agricultural policy is being delayed due to the rising corona infections in Brussels.
Travel restrictions have been tightened further, meaning combined physical trilogue negotiations between the European Parliament, European Commission, and EU countries cannot proceed for the time being.
As the second wave of the pandemic currently hits the EU capital with full force, the current German EU presidency announced that physical meetings must be organized with even greater caution. Virtual meetings would also be limited to only the truly important topics.
After the EU Agriculture Ministers and the EU Parliament each reached their own position on agricultural reform last week, negotiating a joint compromise between all EU institutions will undoubtedly take considerable time. The political-parliamentary conclusion of the EU agricultural reform will therefore begin at the earliest sometime next year.
In addition, European environmental organizations and The Greens in the European Parliament have launched a public campaign urging Eurocommissars Von der Leyen and Timmermans to withdraw last week’s agricultural agreements entirely and submit a new proposal. They argue that the Agriculture Ministers have weakened the agricultural policy so much that nothing is still being done about longstanding abuses.
The European Greens believe that the climate goals of the Green Deal and the fight against CO2 pollution (Paris Agreement) have not been adequately incorporated. This was also the core criticism from many environmental organizations. Dutch MEP Bas Eickhout says Von der Leyen and Timmermans must ensure that their own flagship Green Deal remains intact.