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Welcome to the latest edition of Brussels in Brief. The BAB team is here, we are in Brussels and we want to work on behalf of you and your members. You can find out more on what is happening in Europe at our website - BAB (britishagriculturebureau.co.uk). |
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Agri negotiations conclude with slow, but steady progress at COP29
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BAB Senior Advisor, Jenny Brunton, and NFU Senior Climate Change Advisor, Ceris Jones, have been in Baku for COP29. Jenny has been participating on behalf of the Farmers’ Constituency in the Sharm el-Sheikh joint work on implementation of climate action on agriculture and food security (SJWA), the only negotiations dedicated solely to agriculture. After week 1 of COP29, the draft conclusions about the online portal for the SJWA were agreed. The aim of the online portal is to facilitate information exchange, co-ordination on projects, and financial support for projects. Read more about the agreement and Jenny’s participation here. |
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European Parliament votes to introduce ‘no risk’ category for the EUDR
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Last week the European Parliament voted in favour of introducing a new risk category for the EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The “no risk” category, proposed by the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), would allow products sourced from areas where negligible risk of deforestation has been identified to avoid due diligence obligations. To be classed as a no risk country, the following criteria would have to be met: The Parliament also voted in favour of a 1 year-delay in implementation of the EUDR, as proposed by the Commission in October. However, for any changes to be enacted, they must be discussed and agreed to by the Council during the trilogue negotiations which will take place over the next 1-2 weeks. |
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Over the past weeks, Christophe Hansen (LU) and Jessica Roswall (SE) got the green light from the European Parliament in their relevant Committees – Agriculture/Food and Environment respectively. Commissioner Designate for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhely (HU), was not endorsed after his hearing and instead was invited to answer a series of supplementary questions. Mr Várhely has not yet had approval from the Parliament, and if endorsed, his portfolio may be split, possibly losing food labelling and animal welfare to new Agriculture and Food Commissioner - Christophe Hansen. 19 out of 26 Commissioner Designates have been green-lit by MEPs, with Mr Várhely and the 6 executive vice presidents (Kaja Kallas, Raffaele Fitto, Roxana Mînzatu, Stéphane Séjourné, Teresa Ribera and Henna Virkkunen) yet to be decided. |
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Ireland postpones changes to Agricultural Relief
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Taoiseach Simon Harris announced that changes to Agricultural Relief set out in the Budget would be postponed, while speaking at IFA’s Farming and Food Conference. IFA Farm Business Chair Bill O’Keeffe said that while IFA was keen to ensure that agricultural relief was targeted towards genuine farmers. “IFA have engaged with the Department of Finance since the Budget was announce on 1st October and highlighted the unintended consequences that these changes in requirement to qualify for Agricultural Relief would cause many genuine farmers,” Bill O’Keeffe said. IFA have convened the concerns of many farmers and their financial advisers, who have been extremely concerned that many genuine farmers would not meet the proposed 6-year donor active farmer test announced in this year’s Budget. |
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EU audit on Brazilian beef - oestradiolβ
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A European Commission audit found that current controls for guaranteeing that meat from Brazil destinated for the EU has not been treated with hormone oestradiol 17β are ineffective. Oestradiol 17β is permitted for zootechnical purposes in Brazil but is prohibited for food producing animals in the EU, and the Brazilian controls were found to be unreliable by the EU. Brazil has suspended the export of meat from female animals until the protocols can be enhanced and verified. The Brazilian Mission to the EU has since responded to the audit, outlining that Brazilian beef exports do not expose consumers to any health risks. Only very small doses are administered by vets, they claim, and that Brazil has had a segregated system in place since 2018. Finally, the conclude that "Mirror clauses are not the way to move forward in relations with strategic partners. They may cut both ways & be the demise of international trade.”. |
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Farmer protests in France and Brussels over imminent Mercosur deal
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Negotiators are hoping to finalise the Mercosur deal in time for the upcoming Summit in Uruguay, taking place over 2-4 December. French farmers have launched nationwide action in protest against the FTA, with president of the influential National Federation of Farmers' Unions (FNSEA) President, Arnaud Rousseau, confirming that 82 actions will take place across the country, alongside smaller demonstrations in Brussels over the past weeks. |
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EU agri-food trade increased in July 2024
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EU agri-food trade surplus increased by 8% in July 2024 compared to June, with a value of EUR 6.1 billion. EU surplus reached EUR 39.7 billion between January and July 2024, an increase of EUR 1.1 billion compared to the same period in 2023. EU exports reached EUR 20.8 billion in July 2024, an increase of 10% on the previous month and 15% higher than in July 2023. EU export value increased significantly for olives and olive oil due to increased prices. Exports decreased for vegetable oils and cereals. EU exports to the US and the UK increased the most, while exports to China and Russia decreased. EU imports reached EUR 14.6 billion, a 23% increase compared to July 2023. Cumulative imports between January and July reached EUR 97.5 billion, 2% higher compared to 2023. The full report is here. |
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One more case of BTV-12 reported in the Netherlands
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One further case of BTV-12 has been reported in the Netherlands, bringing the total number of infected premises to 9 as of 14 November 2024. Research is still ongoing to determine the severity of clinical symptoms and impact on mortality. Cases of BTV-3 across the continent are beginning to taper, and with colder weather expected over the next weeks, it is hoped that this trend will continue. The total number of European countries with BTV-3 infection is currently 17 (Netherlands, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Liechtenstein and the UK). Impacted countries are beginning to think about next year and how to manage the disease come spring. |
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Assistance to member states affected by natural disasters: Council gives go-ahead to proposal
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Member states' have endorsed providing further assistance to EU countries affected by recent natural disasters through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). This will allow Member States to have more flexibility to provide emergency support to farmers, forest holders, and businesses affected by natural disasters since 1 January 2024. The changes will allow member states to reprogramme uncommitted EAFRD funds from the 2014-2020 period. The assistance can be 100% financed through unused EU funds and it will come in the form of lump sums of maximum €42 000 per beneficiary. Once the regulation is adopted, the member states will have to decide how much funding to remobilise, according to their specific needs. They will then be required to submit programme amendments to the Commission for review and adoption. The proposal will now have to be adopted in the Parliament's plenary then be formally adopted by the Council, signed by the representatives of the Council and the Parliament and published in the Official Journal. It will enter into force on the date of its publication. |
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