The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon is today (June 16) representing Ireland at the informal EU AgriFish Council meeting in Warsaw, Poland.

The meeting is being held by the Polish Presidency of the EU.

Minister Heydon believes that the meeting provides a valuable opportunity for further discussions with EU counterparts on the importance of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

The minister said he expects the European Commission's proposals for the next EU budget in the "next month".

He said: "The policy focus of the meeting is generational renewal. We need a robust and dedicated CAP budget to support farm viability, competitiveness and innovation.

"As well as specific supports for young trained farmers, the full toolbox of CAP measures is needed to promote farming as an attractive and viable future career for the next generation," the minister added.

Minister Heydon will also meet with Jacob Jensen, the Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, ahead of Denmark taking over the EU presidency in July (2025).

Separately, the chair of European Parliament Agriculture and Rural Development Committee (AGRI) Veronika Vrecionova, has written to the European Commission to outline her concerns about the future of the CAP.

The letter, which has been supported by large majority of political groups in the committee, states that the legislative proposals on the future CAP should follow rather than be presented at the same time as the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

The letter notes that a report is being finalised by the AGRI Committee on the future of EU agriculture, which will provide the commission “with a valuable indication of the political direction and priorities likely to emerge in the legislative process”.

“It is therefore important that this reflection is concluded and duly considered before the formal launch of new legislative proposals,” Vrecionova said.