The agriculture ministers of the European Union met in Luxembourg on June 18 for a Council dedicated in particular to the examination of the legislative proposals of the European Commission on the future common agricultural policy.

It was the first Council of Agriculture Ministers since the publication of the CAP proposals on June 1 and the multiannual financial framework presented by the Commission on May 2.

Stéphane Travert, Minister of Agriculture and Food of France, presented the memorandum, signed in Madrid on May 31 by Spain, Portugal, Greece, Ireland and Finland, whereby these six Member States requested an increase in the budget of the CAP proposed by the Commission.

The Council has obtained the support of 14 new Member States beyond the 6 of the "Madrid Group", bringing the number of States in this position to 20. Therefore, a large majority of the members of the European Union are not satisfied with the initial proposal of the Commission.

Beyond the topic of the budget, Stéphane Travert reminded France's position on the future CAP: A simplified CAP for beneficiaries and for administration, a CAP that protects by providing effective safety nets for farmers, a CAP that transforms modernizing its tools so that the sectors gain competitiveness and better meet the expectations of citizens, a CAP with a stronger environmental ambition.

Therefore, Stéphane Travert welcomed the Commission's proposal for an "eco-program" to introduce payment for the environmental service into the tools of the future CAP.

France welcomed the Commission's proposal and recalled that it will remain particularly vigilant in the work that is being initiated. For France, the modernization of the CAP must not lead to a loss of its European ambition but, on the contrary, it must guarantee the development of our agriculture, in line with the expectations of society, while guaranteeing a level of common demand for different member states of the European Union.