During the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg, Bulgaria supported the text of the Conclusions of the Presidency of the Council of the EU on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2027. The conclusions of the Hungarian Presidency were supported by 26 member states, the Ministry announced of Agriculture and Food (MAH).
“We appreciate the efforts of the Presidency to find a compromise wording that is acceptable to all Member States, considering that the Conclusions on the future of the CAP after 2027, aimed at farmers, are a suitable opportunity to highlight the still outstanding issue for the fair distribution of payments, which is sensitive for the country”, stressed the Acting Minister of Agriculture and Food, Dr. Georgi Tahov.
He presented to the Council of the EU a joint declaration of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, which takes into account the need to achieve full external convergence (harmonized – note ed.) of direct payments between member states. The paper points to the continuing disparities leading to unequal market conditions.
Bulgaria also supported Romania’s request to increase the individual support ceiling under the Temporary Framework for State aid as a result of the war in Ukraine, applicable to the primary agricultural sector, to EUR 560,000 per beneficiary and to extend the period of the Temporary Framework to at least June 30, 2025
Our country fully supported the concerns expressed by Slovakia that the risk of losing European funds is real for a number of member states. For this reason, at the meeting of the Council in June, our country proposed to extend by 12 months the period for admissibility of expenses, the deadlines for administrative closure of the programs and the deadline for amending the Rural Development Programs (RDP) 2014-2022. “None of us want to see a loss of funds for the beneficiaries – our farmers. It is important to note that the delay in the implementation of the Rural Development Programs is mainly due to the effects of the COVID-19 crisis and the war in Ukraine” , pointed out Minister Takhov.
Regarding the challenges facing the food chain of the European Union (EU), the minister stated that for Bulgaria, in view of its specific geographical position as an external border of the EU, the need to guarantee the financial security of the implemented measures against threats to people’s health is of key importance , animals and plants. “We believe that greater coordination of preventive actions against diseases and pests, as well as timely financial support for affected countries, will improve the readiness of the supply chain for future challenges,” noted Takhov. He added that the surveillance and control of animal diseases requires enormous effort and resources from Member States, especially those on the front line.
At a meeting with representatives of the industry earlier this month, Minister Takhov emphasized that Bulgaria continues to insist to the European Commission (EC) to change the conditions for allocating funds under the Temporary Framework for State Aid Measures in Crisis and Transition to Support the Economy after Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the so-called “Ukrainian aid” to farmers, writes BTA.
Tahov explained that due to the regulated support limits reached by some farmers, a significant number of farm animals, areas with permanent and vegetable crops, as well as greenhouse production are excluded from support to cover the increase in the costs of agricultural production. According to him, the first option proposed by Bulgaria to the EC is to drop the individual limit of one enterprise in primary agricultural production.
The other option is to double the so-called ceiling for the funds granted under this aid from 280,000 to 560,000 euros per enterprise active in the primary production of agricultural products. “The third hypothesis is that the aid funds will be paid out year by year,” explained Minister Takhov. He recalled that all three options were discussed, at the suggestion of Bulgaria, in the Council of Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries of the EU. The proposals have also met with support from other European member states, and the topic will continue to be the subject of discussions both at the national level and at the EC level. “It is very important to find the balance. We are looking for an option to protect the interests of farmers without triggering a criminal procedure,” the agrarian minister was categorical.