Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture Roman Leshchenko will participate Monday via video link in the European Council of Agriculture, although the country is not an EU member. Leshchenko is expected to call on his EU counterparts for immediate support, such as the supply of seeds and diesel.
On Monday, European agricultural ministers will discuss the agri-action package that the European Commission will present in Brussels on Wednesday, which will be discussed immediately thereafter in the European Parliament. Parliamentary groups have prepared a joint resolution on the consequences of the Russian war against Ukraine for food security.
Commissioner Wojciechowski expects support from both the 27 agriculture ministers and the Members of the European Parliament for the four lines of action he intends to present. Within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), he wants to activate the agricultural emergency fund of 500 million euros and allow state aid by EU member states. Targeted interventions are also planned for the pork sector and a derogation from restrictions on fallow land to plant more protein crops.
However, a major stumbling block appears to be that the Commissioners for Climate and Health (Frans Timmermans and Stella Kyriakides) are unwilling to postpone the implementation next year of their Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategies. These set out sustainable agriculture through reducing and banning chemical pesticides and the use of artificial fertilizers, and a shift towards more organic farming.
Now, with the threat of food supply disruption due to the Russian war in Ukraine, agricultural organizations and several EU countries (Slovakia and Italy) are calling for reconsideration or suspension of these plans. Other countries (Germany, the Netherlands) oppose this. According to Wojciechowski, this will be discussed again on Monday not only by the agriculture ministers but also within the European Commission.
So far, the European Commission, including Wojciechowski, states that it will adhere to the agreed Green Deal. However, the agriculture commissioner also gave the impression last week that he may — through the approval procedure of the national strategic plans — allow member states individual exceptions. He repeatedly emphasizes that the Green Deal is not legally binding for farmers; only his approval letters for the NSPs (observation letters) apply.
The Finnish agricultural weekly Maaseudun Tulevaisuus reported last weekend that EC President Ursula von der Leyen has asked Timmermans and Kyriakides for concessions. French media speculate that France is also pushing for a delay or reconsideration.