Heydon supports EU Commission in negotiations with US
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has said noted the importance of the week ahead for future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
The minister was speaking before a meeting of the AgriFish Council in Brussels tomorrow, Monday, July 14.
Minister Heydon said: "The European Commission will publish its proposal for the next EU Budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2027 on Wednesday, July 16. This is likely to include details on the proposed structure and budget for the next CAP post-2027.
"I am hopeful that the commission’s proposals will reflect the strong consensus among member states, members of the European Parliament and Christophe Hansen, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, that the CAP should be maintained as a common EU policy with common rules and sufficient funding to achieve its important objectives.
"I had a call with Commissioner Hansen on Friday to assure him of my support for his efforts to ensure a ring-fenced CAP with a dedicated budget," Minister Heydon added.
Prior to the meeting in Brussels, Minister Heydon outlined that he is "looking forward" to discussing the current market situation for the agri-food sector.
He said: "I will reiterate Ireland’s support for the commission in its current trade negotiations with the US, with a view to finding a reasonable settlement to avoid further uncertainty.
"I will continue to highlight our specific concerns in relation to the Mercosur agreement and its implications for European and Irish beef farming. I will reiterate that Mercosur remains a particularly difficult issue for Ireland.”
Minister Heydon also welcomed a discussion around the EU's protein strategy, and said that he looks forward to an "exchange of views" on the development of the strategy.
He explained: "The EU’s protein supply I heavily reliant on imports making our food system vulnerable to global market fluctuations and sustainability riskes.
"I believe that both plant-based and animal-based protein need to be considered together, as both are essential to enhancing food security and to ensuring the sustainability of our food systems.
"The commission’s sustainable livestock workstream should therefore make an important contribution to the protein strategy,” Minister Heydon added.
