The event, inaugurated by Isabel Bombal, Director General of Rural Development, Innovation, and Agri-Food Training, had a dual objective: first, to communicate and provide information on the current state of negotiations and the timeline for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP); and second, to listen to all the people, organizations, and entities involved in the event , offering a comprehensive view of the current situation in the agricultural sector and the people who live in rural areas.

This fourth partnership meeting is taking place at a key and fundamental moment for decision-making. At the EU level, and after three years of negotiation, the regulations for this future CAP are expected to be approved by the European Parliament plenary in November, following the interinstitutional agreement reached in July 2021 by the Agriculture Council and the Parliament. Meanwhile, at the national level, the MAPA is in the process of negotiating with the Autonomous Communities, economic sectors, and all institutions and organizations associated with this sector, with the aim of presenting the Strategic Plan to the European Commission by the end of 2021.

The Director General highlighted the importance not only of the significant legislative development work but also of the information, communication, and dissemination process for all the resulting information so that those affected by these decisions can be up-to-date and prepared " so that the implementation of the CAP, starting in 2023, is not only effective from a regulatory perspective, but also from a practical perspective, for all those involved in the process."

Silvia Capdevilla, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at the Permanent Representation of Spain to the European Union, presented an update on the status of the negotiations in Brussels, from the presentation of the texts with the Bulgarian Presidency to the final pre-approval by the European Council, with the Portuguese Presidency. In this context, it should be noted that the main object of community debate, and which has led to this negotiation being longer than in previous periods, has been the environmental dimension of the new CAP , whose most innovative tool is the eco-schemes, which are direct payments for voluntary practices that are beneficial for the climate, the

environment and animal welfare. These grants are expected to increase the environmental and climate ambition of farms. In addition, there will be "a period of adaptation, counseling, and learning so that farmers understand and implement practices, avoiding the loss of funds."

Regarding the preparation of the CAP-PEPAC for Spain, this fourth meeting coincides with the finalization of the definition of the common elements in the design of the interventions. Ignacio Atance, Deputy Director General for Agricultural Policy Planning, presented the main baselines established in the regulations for this definition, such as the budget allocation requirements, which state, among other things, that at least 40% of total CAP contribution expenditure must be allocated to environmental and climate objectives; 35% of the EAFRD must be allocated to environmental objectives and 5% to LEADER; and the obligation to allocate at least 10% of direct aid to redistributive payments for medium-sized and small farms. Furthermore, the Deputy Director General outlined some aspects of the PEPAC, in line with the latest political debate between the MAPA and the autonomous communities, such as the status of the active farmer, the minimum amount for receiving direct aid, associated aid and other sectoral interventions, the PEPAC's governance, management, and coordination bodies, and the CAP's social dimension.

He also noted that the design of interventions must be consistent with the economic, social, and environmental objectives established in the Strategic Plans Regulations and must provide a coordinated and coherent response to the needs identified for the development of the PEPAC. To this end, significant efforts have been devoted to coordinating the various stakeholders involved in the PEPAC development process. Examples include the design of eco-schemes, enhanced conditionality, rural development measures, and other actions, such as farm advisory services, innovation, and sectoral measures.

Other MAPA proposals, which were also presented in greater detail, included interventions in rural development and the Generational Change Strategy, presented by Mariam Sánchez, of the Deputy Directorate General for Programming and Coordination; and the Strategy for Women's Equality, presented by Carolina Gutiérrez, Deputy Director General for Rural Development.

The closing ceremony was led by Secretary General Fernando Miranda, who emphasized the importance of maintaining the pace of participation and the need to provide any kind of contribution , especially at this crucial moment, when defining the interventions that will respond to the identified needs. The Secretary General also emphasized the need for " greater coherence with other community policies, which will allow farmers and ranchers to respond appropriately to the challenges facing the sector: economic sustainability, environmental protection, the fight against climate change, and a strong economic and social fabric in rural areas."

Opinions expressed in the debate

During the day, those who attended the session via Zoom had the opportunity to share their opinions and the proposals of the organizations they represented, participating live to present their questions and comments or via chat.

Evolution of the partnership

The first meeting of the Partnership, which took place in December 2018, aimed to report on the proposed CAP Regulations and gather initial input from business associations, trade unions, civil society, and the government, both at the national and regional levels.

In December 2019, during the second meeting, progress was presented, seeking to resolve some of the remaining uncertainties, moving toward a more effective CAP and thus addressing the real needs of the region.

At the third meeting, held in December 2020, the main objective was to report on the work carried out in preparing the PEPAC, seeking to hear proposals, observations, and suggestions they could make, and ensuring their participation in the development of the Plan.

The objective of this fourth meeting was to inform interested entities, associations, and stakeholders about the status of the negotiations and upcoming milestones on the European and national agendas, as well as to present the latest developments in decoupled direct payments, environmental architecture, rural development interventions, the generational renewal strategy, and the gender approach.

The presentations used, as well as the recording of the event and the resulting documents, will be published on the National Rural Network website , the MAPA website , and on their social media profiles.