Ireland will be expected to play a "significant role" in shaping the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) during its upcoming EU Presidency.

This is according to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, who spoke at an event hosted by business law firm Mason Hayes & Curran.

Addressing food, agriculture and beverage sector leaders, Minister Heydon said pressure on EU budgets is "intensifying" as many member states prioritise defence spending.

The minister said there are countries spending up to 6% of their national budgets on defence.

“They are determined that Europe spends more on defence, and that changes the conversation around every other priority," he said.

Importance of CAP

Against that backdrop, the minister said the importance of CAP to the wider economy needs to be clearly understood.

“75% of the money we get back from Europe comes through the CAP,” he said. 

"We are net contributors to the EU, and the gap between what we pay in and what we get back is widening.”

EU Presidency

Minister Heydon said Ireland would need to play a central role during its EU Presidency.

“There is an expectation that Ireland will do a lot of the heavy lifting on CAP during the Presidency,” he said.

“We have experience, credibility and a strong civil service. That brings responsibility.”

He confirmed that CAP negotiations would follow a twin-track approach, combining work on the Multi-annual Financial Framework with detailed design of future CAP mechanisms.

Simplification

The minister said future CAP design must prioritise simplification.

“I am absolutely determined to deliver simplification,” he added. 

"The least possible amount should go on bureaucracy and administration, and the most should go to the end user, the farmer."

Jamie Gallagher, partner and sector co-lead of Mason Hayes & Curran’s dedicated food, agriculture and beverage practice, spoke about the discussion. 

“What came through clearly was the importance of a commitment to a deliberate and multi-layered approach to positioning our small open economy in the most effective way possible at both EU and global levels, and the impact that that work will have for agri-food companies in the years ahead," he said.

Uncertainty

Legal speakers at the event covered a variety of topics relevant to the sector such as food regulation, intellectual property, supply chain disputes and employment legal trends.

Hazel McDwyer, partner and sector co-lead of the firm’s food, agriculture and beverage practice, who moderated the discussion, said the timing of the conversation was critical.

She commented: “The sector is operating in a period of sustained uncertainty, from regulatory change to market pressure.

"Minister Heydon’s remarks give businesses a clear view of the direction of travel and the practical work required in the period ahead."

The discussion focused on how EU policy direction, regulatory change, and market pressures are converging for the food, agriculture and beverage sector ahead of Ireland’s EU Presidency.