Özdemir: Germany submits plan for EU agricultural billions

Created: 02/21/2022, 13:11

"We got a lot out of organic farming": Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir.

© Michael Kappeler/dpa

In fact, the deadline has passed.

Germany has now submitted its plan for EU agricultural subsidies worth billions.

Half is to go into ecological conversion.

Brussels - Germany has belatedly decided how it intends to use the multi-billion dollar EU agricultural subsidy in the coming years.

He could announce that "while we are talking here, Germany is bringing the strategic plan to the (EU) Commission," said Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir (Greens) on the sidelines of a meeting with his EU colleagues in Brussels.

“That means planning security for our farmers.” This will deal with a legacy from the previous federal government.

Actually, the plans should have been sent to the EU Commission by January 1st.

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Özdemir emphasized that every second euro of the 30 billion euros available for the years 2023 to 2027 will be spent "for the climate, for the environment and for species protection".

"We got a lot out of organic farming." Organic farms could earn money with voluntary contributions to the climate and environment.

In addition, the goal of 30 percent organic farming by 2030 has been included in the strategic plan.

Organic farming should be promoted with half a billion a year.

The strategic plans are part of a reform of the common EU agricultural policy aimed at making food production more environmentally friendly.

How the individual countries implement this should be set out in the strategic plans.

Özdemir expects that the EU Commission will quickly approve the German plan.

The Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND) and the Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU), on the other hand, announced that the plans "missed the targets for climate protection, the restoration of biodiversity, the expansion of organic farming and the conversion of livestock farming".

It is assumed that the EU Commission will not approve the strategic plan.

"Neither the ambitious goals of the EU Green Deal nor the coalition agreement can be achieved with this plan."