East German agriculture ministers travel to Brussels

Ministers and state secretaries from the agriculture ministries of the eastern German states have traveled to Brussels for talks with the EU. The talks will focus on how to deal with the wolf, the Nitrates Directive, the protection of biodiversity and new breeding methods, according to a spokesperson from the Brandenburg Ministry of Agriculture. The federal states want to lower the protection status of the wolf, for example, in order to make hunting easier.

Federal states must get involved in the debate

"Important political decisions are made in Brussels that have far-reaching effects on the member states and federal states," said Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Minister of Agriculture Till Backhaus (SPD). That is why it is important to be in Brussels regularly and to bring the concerns of the federal states into the debate at an early stage.

Genetic engineering should play a role

According to Backhaus, in addition to the issue of wolves, the focus should also be on "appropriate basic payments for all farms regardless of size, more regional environmental programs with good funding rates, less bureaucracy and the promotion of innovations". The issue of genetically modified plants should also be on the table. "It is important to me that we honestly ask ourselves whether we will be able to manage without such procedures in the future," emphasized Brandenburg's Agriculture Minister Hanka Mittelstädt (SPD).

EU funds to be distributed differently in the future

The EU Commission wants the billions in payments to farmers in the European Union to be distributed differently in the future. The so-called Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is to be simpler and more targeted. For example, the money is to be geared more towards farmers who are actively involved in food production and who focus on preserving the environment.

Agricultural businesses in Europe currently receive around 30 percent of the EU budget. This makes subsidies one of the largest items in the EU budget. In the long-term budget from 2021 to 2027, the share amounts to around 387 billion euros. Currently, a few large companies benefit disproportionately from the funds. In the coming months, the EU Commission intends to present a proposal for the next budget from 2028 to 2034.