Our latest news and views from Brussels looks at more measures to assist coronavirus-hit supply chains and delays to the Farm to Fork strategy.
Our latest news and views from Brussels looks at more measures to assist coronavirus-hit supply chains and delays to the Farm to Fork strategy.
The European Commission has unveiled additional measures to increase the cash flow of farmers and reduce administrative burden for national and regional authorities during the current COVID-19 crisis.
To increase the cash flow of farmers, the Commission has adopted higher advances of payments for farmers. This will increase the advances of direct payments (from 50% to 70%) and rural development payments (from 75% to 85%). Farmers will start receiving these advances from mid-October. As an additional flexibility, Member States will be able to pay farmers before finalising all on-the-spot checks.
A second measure aims to reduce the number of physical on-the-spot checks. EU countries have to carry out checks to ensure that eligibility conditions are met. However, in the current exceptional circumstances, it is crucial to minimise physical contact between farmers and the inspectors carrying out the checks. The overall number of checks to be carried out is reduced, for the prevailing part of the common agricultural policy (CAP) budget from 5% to 3% (for direct payments and rural development measures). The derogation also provides flexibilities in terms of timing of the checks to allow Member States the most efficient use of resources while respecting the confinement rules.
Member States will be able to use alternative sources of information to replace the traditional on-farm visits. The Commission is encouraging the use of new technologies, for example to extend the use of satellite images to check the agricultural activity on the field or geo-tagged photos to prove that investments took place. This measure will help reduce administrative burden and avoid unnecessary delays in processing aid applications to ensure that support is paid to farmers in the shortest possible timeframe.
Image: Getty/veraShestak
The additional measures came as the EU-27 Ministers for Agriculture issued a joint statement regarding the response to the COVID-19 crisis.
The letter called on the Commission to facilitate:
- The implementation of measures under the Common Market Organization (CMO) Regulation of the CAP, including in particular aid for private storage, to support those sectors where significant market disturbances and price impacts have been assessed, as well as exceptional aid for farmers in the most affected sectors under Articles 219 and 221 of the CMO Regulation;
- Ongoing review and monitoring of all sectors over the coming period, with a readiness to introduce further CMO measures as necessary;
- The immediate extension of further flexibilities to Member States under both pillars of the CAP, including in relation to earlier payment dates, higher rates of advance payment than those already announced, activation of specific measures within rural development programs, and the implementation of on-the-spot controls and administrative checks, without lowering the effectiveness of the control system;
- A continued strong and coordinated European response that demonstrates to all our citizens the vital role that European farmers and the wider agri-food sector have to play in the response to COVID-19, as well as the strength of the CAP in supporting food security, environmental protection and vibrant rural areas at this critical time, and into the future;
- The readiness of European farms to cope with the COVID-19 crisis as well as other present and future challenges, including climate change and biodiversity loss.
Image: Getty/branex
The Commission’s ‘Farm to Fork’ Strategy, in which it plans to make the agriculture sector more sustainable, could be further delayed owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Farm to Fork strategy will look to cut the use of pesticides and antibiotics, reduce food waste, and curb the environmental impact of transport in the sector.
The initiative had been scheduled to be unveiled on April 29, already a month later than originally planned. The Commission has hinted at a further postponement until later in the year given the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
That’s upset campaigners who have been calling on the Commission for no further delays. A joint letter by nearly 40 civil society organisations said the Farm to Fork strategy “has the potential to build the foundations of a resilient, healthy, equitable, ecological and overall sustainable food system that is able to withstand future shocks, and create enabling food environments to advance healthy and sustainable diets for all".
Image: Getty/narongcp
Trade associations from across the UK food and drink supply chain have urged global governments to continue trading through open markets to protect the industry during the coronavirus crisis.
Amid signs of a growing shift towards protection in parts of Europe, a letter signed by the Food and Drink Federation’s chief executive Ian Wright and co-signed by over 30 other trade body representatives said the continuation of trading through open markets was vital to help aid the global economic recovery and protect the economies of many supplying countries.
“We have seen some countries introduce trade restrictions that may have the unfortunate consequence of impeding the flow of goods between nations,” they wrote. “While it is understandable that some may place temporary selective restrictions on exports where there is a direct threat posed to the ability of their communities to access affordable food and drink, it is incumbent on the UK and other developed nations to lead the way and reject moves towards protectionism.”
UK food and drink exports more than £23 billion of products each year. “These exports are essential to ensure UK businesses have access to working capital that means production for the UK market is viable,” said the letter. It added the industry cannot operate in isolation if is to continue providing ‘world-leading quality, choice and value for money’.
“Our farmers rely on imported feed and need access to other markets to sell their products, especially where demand in the UK is insufficient. Our manufacturers rely on exports to grow their businesses and imports to complement their use of domestically produced ingredients and raw materials. Our restaurants and retailers need access to a full range of goods all year round to balance seasonality and meet consumer demand.”
It added: “The UK food and drink industry calls on all Governments to ensure trade continues to flow freely and without restriction, so that together we can come through this incredibly difficult time stronger than ever.”
Earlier, Romania became the first country to cut off grain exports during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We can’t afford to be left without wheat because of the greed of some grain owners,” Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said. “If necessary, I’m determined to ban these exports and even seize them.” French President Emmanuel Macron has said that French agriculture needs to become more ‘independent’ in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The moves come amid reports that British farmers, concerned about losing their crop of early summer fruit and vegetables because of the covid lockdown, are being forced to fly pickers into the UK on specialist charter jets from Romania.
Matthew Purton, the head of commercial aviation at Air Charter Services, told The Guardian that Romania lifted restrictions to allow farm workers fly to overseas, and ACS started flying workers into Germany three weeks ago, with eight flights so far and more on the way.
Image: Getty/powerofflowers
Insect brands have been buoyed by the news that the European Food Safety Authority is expected to approve the sale of insects for human consumption later in the year.
The EFSA said: "Several insect applications are under the evaluation by EFSA and we cannot anticipate when EFSA will finish it. I think it would be prudent to say that the first authorisation on insects may come in the last term of this year."
If the green light is given, a host of ingredients such as whole or ground mealworms, lesser mealworms, locusts, crickets and grasshoppers would be deemed safe for human consumption.
Image: Getty/ARISA THEPBANCHORNCHAI
The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has alarmed the European Union with a promise to complete a Brexit deal by December 31, issuing a further warning the transition period will not be extended beyond that date. The UK’s chief Brexit negotiator David Frost and his Brussels counterpart Michel Barnier will hold their next round of official trade talks next week via video conference.
In a joint statement, spokespeople for Barnier and Frost said: “The two sides took stock of the technical work that has taken place since the first negotiating round on the basis of the legal texts exchanged by both sides.
“While this work has been useful to identify all major areas of divergence and convergence, the two sides agreed on the need to organise further negotiating rounds in order to make real, tangible progress in the negotiations by June.”
Image: Getty/Tanaonte
