Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson will attend the Informal Farm Council in Dublin next week.  Mr Nicholson will be attending on Monday as part of the European Parliament’s delegation in his capacity as agriculture co-ordinator for the ECR Group.

This is the first time in this reform process that MEPs will come in direct contact with the Agriculture Ministers from all EU member states.  The Ulster Unionist MEP said that attending the Council would provide the perfect opportunity for MEPs to make it clear to Agriculture Ministers that Parliament must be listened to.

Speaking ahead of the talks Jim said:  “We are now well through the so-called ‘trilogues’ - the final phase of negotiations between the Parliament, Commission and Council of Ministers - and to date there has been very little of substance agreed.” 

Simon Coveney hopes that including the Parliament’s representatives at the Dublin meetings will help to reduce the number of outstanding issues to be negotiated at the crucial Council meeting which begins in Luxembourg on 24 June.

Jim continued:  “While it is still too early to say whether a deal will be sealed or not by the end of June every week which passes without a little movement or agreement on something creates considerable uncertainty.  I have however made it clear that because of the importance of the CAP no deal would be better than a bad deal.

The aim of next week is to help reduce the issues left unresolved going into the Council in late June.  It is however crucial that Ministers are more flexible in this process and realise that the Parliament will not be pushed around, these are issues I want to emphasise next week.”