Copa & Cogeca welcome EU trade agreement study
The study by the Copenhagen Economics Institute, commissioned by the EU Commission, shows that balanced trade agreements between the EU and non-EU countries helps to boost exports, growth and jobs. The study focuses in particular on trade agreements between the EU and Mexico, the EU and South Korea and the EU and Switzerland. It shows that the agreement between the EU and Mexico added €105 million to EU agri-food exports in 2013. Whilst the EU South Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) added €439 million in additional EU agri-food exports in 2015. The EU-Switzerland trade agreements on agricultural products and processed agricultural products together added €532 million to EU agri-food exports in 2010, three years after they were fully implemented, the study states. The study also emphasizes the importance of EU promotion campaigns to help EU exporters access new markets and of EU Farm Commissioner Hogans’ agri-business trade missions.
Reacting to the findings, Copa President Martin Merrild said “I understand the frustration of EU farmers when they ask what is the benefit of trade for us”.
“Farmers and their cooperatives are committed to finding new sources of growth, like in new export markets, but farmers must also reap the benefits of this in terms of increasing their market based revenue. Efforts must be stepped up”, Copa & Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen stressed.
Mr Merrild went on to say that the report confirms that the EU agri-food sector is competitive on international markets under fair conditions and we should be proud of the investment done at farm level to respond to market demand. “The EU has been keen to use the full potential of these trade agreements. And we encourage the European Commission to make the same effort when it comes to maximising the potential of implementing the trade agreement between the EU and Canada (CETA). We support the agri-business trade mission of Commissioner Hogan to Canada”, he said.
“This report confirms that the EU benefits mainly from trade with developed countries and where the EU value added products are well recognized by consumers. We are currently pursuing a trade deal with Japan and we urge negotiators to step up efforts to strike a deal this year,” he added.
For more information:
Copa Cogeca
www.copa-cogeca.eu