Eleventh Report of Session 2019–21 Contents

3Common Agricultural Policy23

This EU document is politically important because:

  • those elements of the Common Agricultural Policy reform relating to marketing standards will need to be applied by Northern Ireland under the terms of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol; and
  • the EU and UK must also — under the Protocol — agree a limit on permitted levels of agricultural support in Northern Ireland.

Action

  • Write to the Minister.
  • Draw to the attention of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee and the Committee on the Future Relationship with the EU.

Overview

3.1Following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, the direct relevance of the EU’s reformed Common Agricultural Policy is restricted to the impact on Northern Ireland. There are two specific impacts. First, Northern Ireland is required under the terms of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol to continue to apply EU rules on the marketing of agricultural products. Second, the Protocol links the level of agricultural subsidies that may be paid in Northern Ireland to those available under the CAP.

3.2We put a number of questions to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Victoria Prentis MP) in our letter of 26 March 2020, but those were only partly addressed in her response of 27 April. Concerning the relationship between the future CAP and Northern Ireland, the Minister referenced only the requirement for the EU and UK to set an upper limit for agricultural support. She did not reference the fact that the marketing elements of the CAP would continue to apply to Northern Ireland, nor did she explain how the interests of Northern Ireland in that respect were being protected.

Action

3.3We have written to the Minister as set out below looking forward to further information in due course on the decision concerning agricultural support in Northern Ireland and re-iterating our queries concerning the ongoing relevance of parts of the CAP to Northern Ireland.

3.4We are drawing our letter to the attention of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee and the Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union.

Letter from the Chair to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Victoria Prentis MP), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

We have considered your letter dated 27 April 2020.

Concerning the impact of the future Common Agricultural Policy on Northern Ireland, we note your comments on the decision to be taken by the Joint Committee concerning an upper limit on agricultural support in Northern Ireland and we look forward to further information in due course on that decision.

We were disappointed that your letter was silent on other ways in which the future CAP may affect Northern Ireland, such as the requirement to apply some marketing rules under the Common Market Organisation Regulation. Amendments to that Regulation — with parts of which Northern Ireland must comply — form part of the CAP reform package. We therefore reiterate our request for information on the implications for Northern Ireland of the CAP proposals, with specific reference to the obligation under Annex 2 of the Withdrawal Agreement for Northern Ireland to comply with elements of Part II — and all of Part III — of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013.24

Given that the proposals on the future of the CAP include legislative amendments which Northern Ireland will have to apply, we invite you again to inform us how you are monitoring those negotiations and continuing to represent the interests of Northern Ireland.

We ask for a response within ten working days.


23 Proposals for Regulations on (a) CAP Strategic Plans (b) CAP financing, monitoring and management (c) common organisation of the market in agricultural products; (a) Council document 9645/18 + ADD 1, COM(18) 392 (b) Council document 9634/18 + ADD 1, COM(18) 393 (c) Council document 9556/18, COM(18) 394; Legal base: (a) Articles 42 and 43(2) TFEU, ordinary legislative procedure; QMV (b) Article 43 (2) TFEU, ordinary legislative procedure; QMV (c) Articles 43(2), 114, 118 and 349 TFEU, ordinary legislative procedure; QMV; Department: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Devolved Administrations: Consulted; ESC number: (a) 39830 (b) 39831 (c) 39832.

24 Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products.




Published: 17 June 2020