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Of the 13 responses to the survey, six groups agreed with 100% convergence, while six favoured a lower rate of 75%. \ Ramona Farrelly
There were divergent views on convergence in a survey of Ireland’s CAP consultation committee, with a 50:50 split for and against full flattening.
The CAP Post-2020 Consultative Committee is overseeing the development of Ireland’s strategic plan as part of the next CAP, which is due to begin in January 2023.
The views of stakeholders was sought on a number of direct payment issues, including convergence, capping, genuine farmer definition, front-loading and a small farmer scheme.
Convergence
Of the 13 responses to the survey, six groups agreed with 100% convergence, while six favoured a lower rate of 75%.
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Australian sheepmeat prices are currently half of EU prices and the UK market will be an attractive proposition with neither tariffs nor volume limits.
Reports in the
Financial Times that the UK government will grant tariff and quota-free access to Australia for agricultural produce entering the UK market is as big an issue for Irish farmers as their UK counterparts.
This is reinforced by the Northern Irish agriculture Minister Edwin Poots who sent a strongly worded letter to the UK minister responsible for agriculture, George Eustace.
The letter draws heavily on the impact assessment released by the UK government last June, which shows that UK agriculture would lose out.
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Checks were introduced at Dublin port immediately after the UK departed the single market on 31 December 2020. \ Philip Doyle
The latest CSO figures show that Irish imports from Britain of food and live animals for March 2021 were down at €151m compared with €288m for the same period last year.
When the figures for the first quarter are compared, imports of food and live animals are down from €776m last year to €306m for the first quarter of 2021, less than half.
Exports are also lower for the first quarter in 2021 compared with last year at €648m compared with €871m for the same period in 2020.
The European Commission adopted the EU action plan
Towards zero pollution for air, water and soil on 12 May.
This action plan is part of the European green deal and sets a target of reduced pollution levels, which are no longer harmful to human health and natural ecosystems.
The plan pulls in other European policies, such as the Farm to Fork Strategy, which plans to reduce fertiliser use by 20% and pesticide use by 50%.
It plans to fill gaps in legislation and identify areas where better implementation is needed.
Key targets
The action plan sets out key targets to 2030:
Improving air quality to reduce the number of premature deaths caused by air pollution by 55%.
Larne Harbour, an NI port where the protocol is implemented. \ Houston Green
Behind-the-scenes talks have been going on for several weeks now between EU and UK officials on how the Northern Ireland (NI) protocol might be adapted to minimise disruption on trade between Britain and NI.
The ideal solution that would satisfy the needs of traders in goods of animal and plant origin, not just for trade between Britain and NI but for all trade both ways between Britain and the EU, is a veterinary alignment.
There are reports that the UK government is reluctant to commit to this, because it might constrain a trade negotiation with the USA.