Cyprus reported two outbreaks of foot and mouth disease virus (FMD) in domestic sheep on February 20 and one outbreak in domestic cattle on February 19 to the World Organisation for Animal Health. All three outbreaks were located in Larnaca.

These are the first cases reported in the country since 2007.

Visit our FMD page for more information on the disease.

EU agriculture ministers discussed the national recommendations for the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) proposed by the European Commission, focusing on their scope, timing and strategic role in shaping future interventions under the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

The debate centred on how these recommendations will guide the preparation of National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs) and how they will interact with other policy areas. Ministers examined the timeline for their adoption and the level of involvement of member states in the drafting process.

Several delegations stressed the importance of issuing the recommendations in a timely manner to allow adequate national planning. Many called for appropriate transitional arrangements to ensure continuity between programming periods. Ministers also underlined that the recommendations must be evidence-based, aligned with national priorities and local specificities, and built upon the existing CAP Strategic Plans.

The recommendations are intended to serve as a strategic tool to identify and address key agricultural challenges, including farm income stability, competitiveness, generational renewal, climate performance, resilience to risks and the promotion of knowledge and innovation. While positioned as non-legally binding instruments, they are expected to provide policy guidance within a coherent EU framework, allowing member states sufficient flexibility to adapt interventions to their national and regional circumstances.

The discussion took place in the broader context of defining the future direction of the CAP. Ministers agreed that coherence with NRPPs and other Union policies will be essential to enhance both the effectiveness and ambition of the future CAP.

The meeting also focused on strengthening food security as a key pillar of the EU’s strategic autonomy. Ministers emphasised the need to support the agricultural sector, ensure fair protection for farmers across the food supply chain and reinforce the EU’s global leadership in promoting food security.

Delivering on its commitment made at the ministerial meeting of 7 January, the European Commission has proposed to suspend, for one year, the most favoured nation (MFN) duties on imports of several key nitrogen fertilisers and inputs for their production (ammonia, urea). The tariff suspension will be implemented for all countries, except Russia and Belarus, through duty-free tariff rate quotas.

The measure will strengthen the EU's agri-food sector, lowering costs for farmers and the fertilisers industry by saving an estimated €60 million in import duties. It will also facilitate the reduction of the EU's dependency on Russia and Belarus and support diversification of supply, where imports are still needed for the EU agricultural sector and the fertiliser industry. This will help ensure the EU's food security and sovereignty in an increasingly unstable and uncertain world.

By eliminating MFN tariffs and by opening new opportunities via trade agreements, the Commission's main aim is to support competitive, EU agri-food and fertilisers sectors, while searching for new and reliable suppliers. The proposed measure is carefully calibrated to the needs of the EU market, through the establishment of a quota system. Imports beyond these quotas will be subject to standard MFN duties.

This initiative delivers on the Commission's commitment to address rising costs faced by EU farmers, and is an important component of the Commission's work to address the high cost of fertilisers to EU farmers. It also aligns with broader efforts to secure EU food sovereignty and economic security in an uncertain global landscape. In December 2025, the Commission already took EU-level action focused on fertilisers. An exception to the standard calculation rules was introduced, to reduce the impact of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on fertilisers, making them the only commodity to benefit from such an exception (use of a 1% markup instead of 10 % with a progressive increase to 30 % for all other sectors). In the context of CBAM implementation, the Commission continues to closely monitor the market.