In the first issue of the IEEP Policy Briefing, we reflect on the fate of the proposals on modulation - one of the most contested issues in the CAP Health Check negotiations.

In short, it is the policy of the Danish Government that agricultural support under Pillar 1 should be abolished by 2025.

The Cyprus conference was the third in the series of major EU rural development conferences organised by DG Agriculture but less significant in policy terms than its forerunners.

The 'European Network for Rural Development' was launched by the European Commission at the Conference on Rural Development, held in Cyprus on 16-17 October 2008.

Germany’s official position is focused on the maintenance of direct payments at current levels until 2013 at the very least. At present, the German government will not accept a decrease in direct payments or an increase in the rate of modulation in order to increase funding for Pillar 2 measures. Germany argued against the Health Check proposal to increase milk quotas and would prefer a milk fund to be introduced and funded through Pillar 1. The view of environmental bodies and NGOs differs significantly to the more conservative outlook of the government and the main farmers union, the DBV.

The Swedish position on the reform of the CAP, especially on the more fundamental long term changes, is very radical, emphasising deregulation, phasing out single farm payments and rewarding the provision of public goods. The reasons for this position, both in terms of the Health Check and longer term reform, are set out below.

Would you like to contribute to CAP2020?

In the Reform Profiles, an overview is made of each Member State’s position on the CAP Health Check, the Budget Review and the longer term reform of EU agricultural policy. Attitudes shaping the reform position also need to be explored, including views on food security, for example. Once the overview is written it will be published on the website, and will need to be regularly updated as new information comes to light, relevant events take place and key speeches are made.

IEEP is looking for individuals with a thorough understanding of the politics shaping CAP reform in their Member State and with excellent and trusted contacts in national agricultural ministries, environment ministries, finance ministries, as well as with other stakeholders.

If you are interested in writing and keeping up to date the Reform Profile for Belgium, please contact us via the email address on the Contact page.

While the CAP reform debate is in full swing, the UK countries have been consulting on the structure and content of their future agricultural policies as part of the transition away from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy.

30 actions to transform the Commission’s proposals into a genuine transition tool.

Just a few days before EU Agriculture Ministers meet for the informal Council in Vienna and on the basis of the preparatory questions sent by the presidency to the delegations, the authors of this blog post identify the key elements for securing vibrant rural areas in the future CAP.

Those of us with long memories of CAP reforms know that there can be many dramas, dead ends and diversions along the way. Nonetheless, there has been a discernible direction of travel for two decades or more.