This is a subscriber-only article
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon is to tell EU agriculture ministers that CAP must remain a core EU spending priority when they meet for their monthly Agrifish council meeting in Brussels on Monday.
“The next EU budget will be very different in many ways, given the new and urgent demands,” the minister said ahead of the meeting.
“However, as a first principle, the CAP must remain a core expenditure priority, given the economic, social and environmental benefits it brings across all member states.”
Minister Heydon stated that the European Commission’s publication of its Vision for Agriculture and Food in February provides a “good framework” for addressing issues with EU competitiveness in agriculture.
He is to highlight areas of particular interest to Ireland regarding the vision to other ministers, with these including the development of a sustainable livestock workstream, an EU generational renewal strategy for farming and carbon and nature credits and nature credits.
Whiskey export concerns
Minister Heydon also said that he will engage with EU counterparts to ensure the “best possible” approach is taken in the EU response to US 200% tariff threats on whiskey and alcoholic beverages.
“Ireland is very concerned by the US’s actions. We are really disappointed by the actions of the US administration with the introduction of tariffs,” he commented.
“We believe a close working relationship between the EU and the US is in everyone’s interests and tariffs and trade barriers only hurt both of our people.”
Also attending the Agrifish council meeting is Minister of State with responsibility for Fisheries Timmy Dooley, who is to call for a “distinct and ring-fenced EU funding programme for the seafood sector”.
SHARING OPTIONS: