Relevant Matter
Matters involving public funds
Public Policy Area
EU Affairs
Period
1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025
Specific Details
EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)
Intended results
To highlight that it cannot be underestimated how important the outcome of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) proposal will be to Irish farmers, particularly for the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) programme and the future of Rural Development in Ireland.
To stress that although Europe is contending with a set of significant challenges which will add increased complexity to the next MFF negotiations as financial provision for defence and enlargement come to the fore. It is imperative however, that food security, agriculture and rural areas are not sidelined in any potential reconfiguration of the next European budget.
To show concern over recent discussions on potential merging of European finances into a ‘Single Fund' which would have negative effects on the next CAP. IFA is in complete opposition to any merging of the Common Agricultural Policy with any other programme and expects the integrity and independence of the policy to be respected, ringfenced and maintained in line with the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union.
Under no circumstance can there be any dilution of agriculture's importance within the next European Budget. Article 38 of the Treaty is clear in this regard which states the following ‘The Union shall define and implement a common agriculture and fisheries policy' and ‘The operation and development of the internal market for agricultural products must be accompanied by the establishment of a common agricultural policy.'
To highlight that, in relation to the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), during the 2020 - 2027 MFF, both Cohesion Funding and Common Agricultural Policy spending were reduced by 5% in nominal terms when compared with the previous MFF. For the CAP, this manifested in a 12% reduction in real terms for CAP expenditure relative to the previous EU budget when inflation is accounted for.
Furthermore, the policy's environmental ambition also increased significantly in terms of what is expected from farmers to receive lesser payments in real terms, particularly in terms of conditionality further weakening the impact CAP has on farmer incomes.
To propose that, instead of relying on the CAP to fund environmental measures, a separate EU environmental fund should be created to support environmental action on farms. This fund should include support for farmers with designated land and any actions that may arise from future implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Law at national level. Future generations will not commit to farming without more certainty on funding streams.
To highlight that in the forthcoming negotiations which will be made more complex by competing European demands, it is imperative to remember that any increased expectations of farmers must be matched with an increasing budget that is considerate of economic inflation. Despite accounting for less than one third of the overall EU budget, the value of the Common Agricultural Policy in real terms has been in decline for almost two decades.
This coincides with the cost of doing business for farmers in Ireland increasing by a staggering average of 73% between the period of 2017 - 2023 based on IFA analysis. ‘Competitiveness' has quickly become the new flagship term of this European Mandate, but unless there is a comprehensive CAP, adjusted to inflation with simplification of the regulatory burden facing farmers, this will simply be more rhetoric rather than tangible action from the EU.
That, with regard to the ‘Third Omnibus on Agriculture' a major focus of regulatory simplification for IFA is the GAEC 2 Standard as part of CAP Conditionality. Given the disproportionate impact on Ireland and the absence of a robust management system (currently, c.106k ha of mineral soils also exposed to proposed GAEC-2 restrictions using DAFM proposals), impacted farmers should be engaged with directly with a simplified, incentivised approach for which the EU Commission has advocated for.
To request that, through the upcoming Simplification Package, which will be discussed by the College of Commissioners, consideration be given to
1. Removing GAEC-2 entirely from CAP Conditionality requirements (given overlap with NRL environmental obligations) and seek to support the protection of Peatlands & Wetlands instead via voluntary incentivised measures (as provided for re GAEC-8 in the last Simplification Package)
2. Providing further flexibility and derogation to individual Member States beyond claim year 2025 where necessary, as outlined in below suggested amends to Annex III of Regulation 2021/2115
• Member States may provide in their CAP Strategic Plans that this GAEC will only be applicable as from claim year 2024 or 2025, or later in exceptional cases. In such cases, Member States shall demonstrate that the delay is necessary for the establishment of the management system in accordance with a detailed planning.
• Member States, when establishing GAEC standard 2, shall ensure that on the land concerned, an agricultural activity suitable for qualifying the land as agricultural area may be maintained.
3. Removing the threat of fines for non-implementation in 2025 and allowing Member States adequate time to design robust management systems and incentivised, targeted eco scheme measures toward the protection of Peatlands/Wetlands in 2026.
4. Extend acceptance of measures towards protecting peatlands and wetlands as being GAEC-2 applicable beyond national legislation in isolation, taking those of other GAECs, national agri-environment schemes and EU legislation into account.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Francie Gorman IFA President, Alice Doyle IFA Deputy President, Damian McDonald IFA Director General, Elaine Farrell IFA Director of Governance & Oireachtas Engagement, Noel Banville IFA European Policy Executive
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Informal communication (6-10)
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
MEP (European Parliament)
Barry Andrews
MEP (European Parliament)
Barry Cowen
MEP (European Parliament)
Billy Kelleher
MEP (European Parliament)
Brian Purcell
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture and the Marine)
Ciaran Mullooly
MEP (European Parliament)
Cynthia Ní Mhurchú
MEP (European Parliament)
Daniel Griffin
Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)
Diarmuid Lynch
Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)
Kathleen Funchion
MEP (European Parliament)
Luke Ming Flanagan
MEP (European Parliament)
Lynn Boylan
MEP (European Parliament)
Maria Walsh
MEP (European Parliament)
Martin Heydon
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Michael McNamara
MEP (European Parliament)
Micheál Martin
An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)
Nina Carberry
MEP (European Parliament)
Regina Doherty
MEP (European Parliament)
Sean Kelly
MEP (European Parliament)
Thomas Byrne
Minister of State (Department of the Taoiseach)
Timmy Dooley
Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)