EU must leave more environmental goals in agriculture to parliaments

European Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski has called on the national parliaments of the 27 EU countries to actively engage with the new National Strategic Plans (NSPs) under the new Common Agricultural Policy. The agriculture commissioner urged the parliamentary agriculture committees not to allow such a national approach to be reduced to mere paperwork.

Wojciechowski made his appeal at the end of a special session of the AGRI agriculture committee of the European Parliament, which included contributions from speakers of the 27 national parliaments. Such consultations are held regularly and this time were dedicated to the CAP and the NSPs. He expressed certainty that all 27 EU countries will ultimately submit NSPs to Brussels, as otherwise they would miss out on EU subsidies for their farmers. 

Wojciechowski warned the parliamentary representatives to be vigilant that their countries’ agriculture ministers do not use the NSPs to channel agricultural premiums mainly to large agro-concerns. He pointed out that currently 80 percent of EU agricultural subsidies go to 20 percent of farmers. ‘Your role in the new agricultural policy does not end here; it actually begins now,’ he said.

The European umbrella organization for organic food and farming has warned of “insufficient ambitions” in strategic CAP plans.

IFOAM Organics Europe states that research by organic farmers in 19 countries shows that “unless the national strategic plans in various member states are significantly improved, the new CAP will not contribute to a substantial improvement of organic farming in the EU.”

The organic farmers say that while the EU advocates for a strong expansion of organic farming area, the budgets in the NSPs allocated by agriculture ministers barely provide funds for this.

The organization believes more farmers should be encouraged to convert to organic farming, and organic farmers should be properly rewarded for their quality food while simultaneously protecting nature. Last week, the Irish farmers’ organization IFA expressed a similar sentiment.

Next Tuesday, the European Parliament will cast its decisive vote on the new agricultural policy for the coming five years. Afterwards, agriculture ministers must give their final approval by mid-December.

Farmers’ unions from various EU countries plan to hold a large demonstration against the new agricultural policy in Brussels on December 13 and 14. They argue that too much ‘farmers’ money’ is already being spent on environmental measures.