Heydon: 'We'll negotiate through' Commission's CAP proposals line by line
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has pledged that the government will "negotiate through" the European Commission's new EU budget proposals "line by line".
Details of the European Commission's proposed next long-term budget - the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034 - were unveiled to the European Parliament's budget committee earlier today (Wednesday, July 16).
The commission plans to allocate €300 billion for farmers in the next long-term EU budget – down from €386.6 billion previously - a move which has sparked immediate outrage among MEPs and farm leaders.
Minister Heydon said today that Ireland "has been through considerable reforms before and we’ve managed to negotiate through them in the past and we’ll do the same again".
"What always remains as a constant is the importance of the work of our farm families and our agri food businesses to our rural economy.
"Today is the starting point and we’ll negotiate through this proposal line by line and we’ll have a very significant role to play during our EU Presidency in the second half of next year.
"This work has already started from this evening, it will be a very lengthy process and along with our Taoiseach and Tanaiste we will be putting our best foot forward for Irish agriculture and the rural communities within which our farmers live," the minister stated.
According to Minister Heydon, the Commission's proposals for new CAP structures "in a new MFF architecture will require careful analysis".
"This seems like a very big change, but in fact this announcement marks the starting point in a long negotiating process.
"I will continue to work very closely with Commissioner Hansen, the European Parliament, and my EU counterparts to ensure that the end result delivers the best possible outcome for Irish farmer and the rural communities in which they live," he said.
The EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Christophe Hansen, had addressed members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development this afternoon on the CAP proposals.
He said the traditional two-pillar structure would be replaced with “one policy and one set of measures” which would result in “no more limitations in transfers between the pillars and no more overlaps to different financing conditions”.
Hansen also outlined that the CAP will continue to provide area-based payments, coupled income support, investments, support to small and young farmers and incentives for agri-environmental measures.
Tomorrow (Thursday, July 17) Minister Heydon will hold the first meeting of the CAP Consultation Committee.
"The committee will play a crucial role in ensuring that the CAP reform process is transparent, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of various stakeholders within the agricultural and rural community," Minister Heydon said.
It will include a number of representatives from government departments and agencies, the major farming organisations, rural organisations and universities.
