Michel Barnier’s ‘agricultural’ past
The newly appointed French Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, is a familiar face in Brussels circles as a former MEP, Commissioner for the Internal Market and Brexit negotiator. But for many, his in-depth knowledge of European agricultural issues may come as a surprise.
He was Nicolas Sarkozy’s minister for agriculture from 2007 to 2009.
As French agricultural minister, Barnier insisted on redistributing the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). He directed funds from cereal farmers towards livestock farmers, doubled their income, and increased the budget for organic farming.
In many ways, the period from 2007-2009 marked a different era.
Yet, Barnier’s vision of the CAP in 2008 was already aimed at being “more preventive, fairer, and more sustainable.”
Such a vision is not so distant from the one stemming from the final report of the strategic dialogue on the future of EU agriculture published on Thursday (5 Septmber) this year.
The new document mentions a subsidy system that can deliver to those “who need it the most” and incentivise farmers to do more for the environment, strengthening the funds for the green transition.
In 2009, Barnier oversaw the initial phase-out of the milk quota scheme. Given that milk is produced throughout Europe, significant market changes, such as the ‘soft landing’ of quotas, made producers nervous both in France and across the continent.
Despite protests from French producers, Barnier successfully eased tensions with several measures and then set out for Brussels to join the EU institutions.
Given his agricultural and EU experience, can he tune in with the concerns of French farmers, who were at the forefront of the early 2024 demonstrations?
Pressure is coming from all sides. Just as the Commission’s upcoming agricultural plans will be closely watched, Barnier is also anticipated by both French citizens and the farming community.
Nibbles of the week
Poor European wheat harvests could boost Russian economy, experts warn. The coming weeks will reveal the balance of the global soft wheat market as Europe struggles with low yields and Russia erodes the bloc’s export share, experts told Euractiv.
Meanwhile, promising crop forecasts suggest olive oil price relief. A better olive harvest expected in key EU producers this autumn could put an end to the sky-high olive oil prices seen earlier this year, according to experts.
EU still far from swine fever vaccine as concerns grow in Italy. As Italy grapples with an African swine fever (ASF) epidemic that is putting the production of ham under stress, the European Commission warns that the EU is not close to finding a vaccine against the disease.
On a brighter note, the bird flu vaccine seems to be working. France’s massive bird flu vaccination campaign is likely to reduce cases by 95.9% in 2023-24, according to a new study by scientists at the French National Institute for Agriculture (INRAE) and officials at the Ministry of Agriculture.
EU Mediterranean countries call on the Commission to speed up water strategy. At a meeting in Cyprus on Tuesday (3 September), agriculture ministers from nine member states urged the bloc’s executive to make rapid progress on water security policies.
Cut the CAP budget, Bruegel says. The EU CAP budget must be reduced, and national funds must compensate for the loss, as the Bruegel think-tank wrote in its Memos 2024-29, presented on Wednesday (4 September).
Increase the CAP budget, MEPs say. On the same day, the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) adopted its opinion on the EU general budget for 2025, regretting that the funds earmarked for European agriculture are lower than in 2024.
Member states still far from agreement on new seed rules. On Tuesday, the EU Council resumed negotiations on the legislation on seeds and planted reproductive material (PRM), but the “file is far from an agreement,” EU Hungarian Presidency sources told Euractiv.
“The Presidency is trying its best though to get as far as possible,” they said, adding that a presidency report on the progress of the file by the end of the semester was “the most likely result”.
Commission assessment on nitrates is “upcoming.” The EU executive has closed the consultation period on the possible updating of the 1991 legislation on water pollution by nitrates. An assessment of the effectiveness of the current rules is expected by March, according to the Better Regulation portal.
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