EPP Agriculture Ministerial Meeting

EPP Agriculture Ministers, chaired by Sari Essayah, Finnish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and MEP Herbert Dorfmann, EPP Group Coordinator on Agriculture and Rural Development, gathered today in Luxembourg to exchange views related to on the ongoing Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH). The Ministers also welcomed the newly appointed Minister of Agriculture from Slovenia, Janez Cigler Kralj, to the EPP family. Discussions focused on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the National and Regional Partnership Regulation (NRP) in the context of the next Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034. Ministers stressed the importance of preserving a strong common European agricultural policy while ensuring sufficient flexibility for Member States to respond to national and regional needs. They underlined that the future CAP must remain adequately funded, simplified, resilient and capable of strengthening Europe's food security and agricultural competitiveness. Ministers also reflected on the ongoing fertiliser crisis and its impact on farmers across the European Union. They called for the swift implementation of the European Commission's Fertiliser Action Plan to help farmers address rising input costs and improve the resilience of the agricultural sector. Ministers also reviewed the Commission's proposed Food and Feed Safety Simplification Omnibus, welcoming efforts to reduce administrative burdens while maintaining high standards of food safety, public health as well as environmental protection. Ministers also addressed the forthcoming initiatives, including the Livestock Strategy and the Protein Plan, highlighting their importance for the long-term resilience and competitiveness of European agriculture. Ministers further exchanged views on the implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation in view of the upcoming submission of national restoration plans by Member States. In the current geopolitical context and under growing budgetary pressures, they stressed that a balanced and realistic approach is needed to ensure that the implementation is proportionate and to avoid avoid additional burdens for farmers.