Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has told a meeting of EU agriculture ministers that EU laws on nitrates, habitats and nature should be simplified.

At a meeting of the Council of the EU this week, Minister Heydon welcomed the European Commission's proposal to simplify environmental legislation.

However, he said there is "scope" to widen the simplification proposals to include the Nitrates Directive, the Habitats Directive, and the Nature Restoration Law.

The commission proposed an omnibus package to simplify EU environmental legislation in December.

The aim of the proposal, at present, is to simplify legislation in the area of industrial emissions, the circular economy, environmental assessments, and geospatial data.

According to the commission, this package of simplification will save the bloc €1 billion per year, of which €890 million will be saved in the area of administration.

Minister Heydon told the council on Monday (March 30): "Ireland welcomes the commission's environmental simplification proposal".

The minister said the proposal "reflects the progress" being made with the implementation of the EU's Vision for Agriculture and Food, which was adopted by the commission in February of last year.

However, Minister Heydon also told the council: "Nevertheless, there is scope to be more ambitious in our approach to simplification of environmental legislation, while at the same time safeguarding the robust environmental protections... For example, by widening its coverage to include the Nature Restoration Law, the Habitats Directive, and the Nitrates Directive."

CAP

The minister also used his speech in the Council of the EU meeting to reiterate his position on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2027.

Discussing the Vision for Agriculture and Food, Minister Heydon said: "Ireland welcomes the vision's recognition that support through the CAP remains indispensable to underpinning farm incomes, food security, and the resilience of our agri-food sector.

"Securing an adequately funded CAP under the next multiannual financial framework will be essential to the delivery of the vision's objectives," he added.

"Ireland also notes the importance placed on generational renewal in the [Vision for Agriculture and Food], and welcomes the new EU generational renewal strategy which aligns well with our national efforts on this key topic," Minister Heydon said.