Press release
Strong Budget Critical for CAP post 2020 - Creed
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 Marine, Michael Creed TD, today (Monday) stressed the importance of an adequately supported Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post 2020 at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels.
Speaking at Council, Minister Creed emphasised that Ireland's key priority is to ensure an adequate CAP budget for the agri-food sector:
“The CAP Budget is fundamentally important to Irish farmers, particularly now at a time of Brexit uncertainty and in the context of dealing with very serious climate change obligations and challenges in the future. We must provide adequate funding to ensure that farmers are supported in meeting these challenges post 2020.”
The Council also focused on matters relating to CAP Strategic Plans, the agricultural reserve, plant proteins and the proposed green architecture of the new CAP.
This afternoon, Minister Creed held a bilateral meeting with Commissioner Hogan to discuss the potential impact of a disorderly Brexit on the Irish agri-food and fisheries sectors.
Minister Creed said:
“Commissioner Hogan is keenly aware of the unique exposure of the Irish agri-food and fisheries sectors to the threat of a disorderly Brexit and the challenges that it could present. We had an opportunity this afternoon to discuss these issues in some detail. I stressed the need to deploy market response measures, including exceptional aid, under the CAP to provide necessary supports to Ireland's agri-food sectors, and Commissioner Hogan reiterated the EU’s readiness to respond and support Ireland and in particular, challenges facing Irish farmers and the agri-food sector, given our specific exposure to the UK market. We agreed to remain in close contact as the situation develops and we have more clarity about the nature of the UK’s departure."
In addition, to this afternoon’s meeting, officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine also met with officials from the European Commission this morning and a further meetings are planned.
ENDS