A draft text of the controversial EU Nature Restoration Law is expected to be agreed in Brussels this week.

The agreement on the compromise text follows intensive trilogue negotiations between representatives of the European Parliament, the European Commission and Council of Ministers.

Wording

While the compromise wording agreed is likely to differ little from the text which received the backing of the Parliament earlier in the year, there have been unconfirmed reports that an element of rewetting has been included.

In July, the Parliament voted to look for the entire article in the proposed law dealing with farmland and peatland rewetting targets to be dropped.

The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) has written to Commission president Ursula von der Leyen this week outlining farmer opposition to the proposed law.

The INHFA expressed its concern that farmers with designated habitats could potentially be denied CAP supports as their lands would no longer be deemed agricultural ground.

Meanwhile, the Oireachtas agriculture committee is to have a private emergency meeting this Thursday with the National Parks and Wildlife Service to discuss the impact of the new law.