The term of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union has come to an end with important European agreements, breakthroughs in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), strengthening the management of water resources and promoting the socially just green transition.
In an account of this demanding semester, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panayiotou, outlines the challenges, the results and the legacy that Cyprus leaves for the primary sector and the EU environmental policy.
Cyprus has assumed responsibility for two of the most demanding and complex portfolios of the European Union, Agriculture & Fisheries, as well as Environment & Climate Policy. As the competent minister noted, these portfolios in most European countries are distributed in up to four different ministries.
Despite the magnitude of the challenge, 6 trilogues, 5 general approaches and Council conclusions, as well as 6 Europe agreements were completed during the semester.
At the same time, crucial legislative files were promoted that positively shape the course of the EU for the coming years. Cyprus has proven that a small member state can act as a bridge, building consensus and synthesizing different approaches for the benefit of European citizens.
The Cyprus Presidency was called upon to manage the pressures on the primary sector from climate change, geopolitical tensions and the increase in production costs. Food security, simplification of procedures and generational renewal were the main objectives.
Key sections in the CAP include:
• Lifting the mandatory exclusion of retired farmers from direct payments, supporting those who remain active in production.
• Strengthening measures for the succession of holdings and extending the first establishment aid to new entrants to the sector, regardless of their age.
• Relieving farmers with small plots from increased bureaucratic requirements applicable to large farms, reducing the administrative burden and production costs.
• Strengthening the negotiating position of producers against unfair commercial practices. In addition, a long-standing request for the inclusion of more traditional and local products in the European programme "Fruit, vegetables and school milk" was met.
In the fisheries sector, the Cyprus Presidency paved the way for the revision of the Common Fisheries Policy, taking into account the needs of coastal communities. An important achievement was the doubling of the financial envelope compared to the initial proposal of the European Commission, a development that particularly satisfied the member states with strong fishing activity.
Technological upgrading and modernization of the institutional framework occupied a dominant position on the agenda:
• The European framework has been simplified to allow the use of drones for the application of plant protection products with greater precision, speed and safety in inaccessible areas.
• The legislative framework for seeds that has been in force since the 1960s has been modernized. The agreement ensures farmers have access to climate-resilient varieties while protecting traditional local varieties.
• In order to deal with the sharp increase in fertilizer prices due to international conflicts, the strengthening of the Crisis Management Fund with €300 million was promoted. to support producers.
The completion of the Cyprus Presidency leaves behind a solid project that combines the strengthening of the primary sector with environmental sustainability. As demonstrated by the report of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, the decisions taken lay the foundations for a more resilient, fair and sustainable European agriculture and environmental policy.
