Bulgaria wants a special payment for oil-bearing roses under the EU's next farm policy after 2027. The country made the request at a meeting of EU farm ministers in Brussels, where agriculture minister Plamen Abrovski set out Bulgaria's position on the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) rules.

Bulgaria wants a new article added to the CAP regulation, creating a scheme called "Special payment for the oil-bearing rose crop" and funded from the CAP budget. At the meeting, Abrovski handed the other ministers small bottles of Bulgarian rose oil as gifts.

"Behind the scent of Bulgarian rose oil lies centuries of tradition, unique Bulgarian production and the work of generations of rose growers," he said. Bulgaria's rose, he added, is unique and makes the whole EU unique too.

Bulgaria also wants to keep the option of transitional national aid for the crop. On this, it backed a paper from Romania, also signed by Cyprus, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

Bulgaria's agriculture ministry wants cuts to payments and the cap on degressive area payments to stay voluntary, with each EU country free to set its own thresholds based on farm size. Abrovski also asked that countries be allowed to deduct wage and insurance costs for farm work from payments if they choose, as current rules allow.

Abrovski said the new CAP should fund irrigation and big water projects, including shared and regional systems. Bulgaria also wants faster ways to get emergency help out when bad weather or other crises strike. It is also pushing for guaranteed funding for AKIS, the farm knowledge and innovation system, which covers advisory services, innovation networks and innovative projects.

Economic, geopolitical and climate pressures mean the CAP needs to stay strong and well funded, Abrovski said. "One of the key issues for Bulgaria is still making sure there's a proper transition period and clear rules," he said, referring to direct payments after 2027.

Before the meeting, Abrovski told Bulgarian journalists in Brussels that Bulgaria, together with Greece, Romania and Cyprus, will push for changes to EU rules on diseases affecting small ruminants. The four countries are also calling for EU compensation for losses caused by the restrictions used to stamp out these diseases.