Press release
McConalogue stresses need for swift approval of CAP Strategic Plans
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, will today underline once again the need for early approval of Member States’ CAP Strategic Plans by the European Commission.
Speaking ahead of today’s Agri-Fish Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels, Minister McConalogue said:
“Farmers need the certainty of the approved CAP Strategic Plan in order to be able to make long-term planning decision around their farm business.. Similarly, Member States need the necessary time to put in place administrative arrangements and IT systems, and to communicate with farmers about the final content of the CAP Strategic Plans. We are already working to extremely challenging timelines. Our priority now should be swift approval, which will facilitate rapid and full engagement with farmers. We simply cannot afford to wait.”
Minister McConalogue noted the progress that has been made on Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan, and welcomed, in particular, the constructive engagement that had taken place between his department’s officials and their Commission counterparts since the Commission’s observations letter at the end of March.
Noting also that he will take the opportunity to meet briefly today with Commissioner Wojciechowski to review the state of play, he said:
“I look forward to discussing the current position on Ireland’s draft Plan with Commissioner Wojciechowski and closing outthe small number of outstanding issues. If the Commission and ourselves can do that quickly, it will allow us to re-submit our Plan by the end of this month.”
The impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the agri-food sector will again feature very strongly on the Council agenda. Commenting ahead of the discussions, Minister McConalogue said:
“I continue to be extremely concerned about the impact on agricultural markets of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The absence of Ukrainian grain will continue to have serious implications for global food security, and for the availability of feed materials. The latter has particularly negative consequences for all livestock sectors. We support the important work under way on solidarity lanes, which should provide some alternative to the use of Black Sea ports, and fully support the Commission’s efforts to coordinate the response in this area.”
Other items on the Council agenda include a presentation from the new Czech Presidency on its priorities for its 6-month tenure, discussions on the proposed new EU regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products, and an exchange on draft Council conclusions on the EU’s new aquaculture strategic guidelines. There will also be exchanges of views on the transport of animals - during which the Minister will emphasise Ireland’s implementation of the highest standards of animal welfare at all stages of an animal’s life, including during transport - and on the new proposed regulation on the trade of products associated with deforestation.
The Council will also discuss the proposed work programme on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement, which was agreed at the recent Ministerial Conference in Geneva. In this regard Ireland has joined with France and 10 other Member States to emphasise the need for the EU to play a leadership role in responding to modern SPS challenges.