Poland and Spain call for stronger CAP
Due to the European Union's work schedule and the fact that key decisions about the shape of the Common Agricultural Policy after the year 2020 will be made soon, the future of this policy was the main topic of discussion. The ministers of agriculture have confirmed the convergence of Polish and Spanish positions on many aspects of the future CAP, including in relation to the need for providing a strong budget for the CAP, opposition to renationalisation, and the will to maintain the structure of the CAP based on two pillars. They have also declared readiness for close cooperation in representing common interests as part of the discussion at the EU forum.
Minister Krzysztof Jurgiel pointed out Poland's priority postulates, especially in relation to the need for providing equal conditions of competition on the single market and consistency with Treaty principles.
During the conclusion of the talks, the ministers exchanged papers on Polish and Spanish positions concerning the future of the CAP. Minister Jurgiel gave his Spanish counterpart the document: "Common Agricultural Policy after 2020 – Polish Priorities", adopted by the Council of Ministers on 16 May 2017, which comprehensively presents the perspective of the Polish Government on the future of EU's agricultural policy, pointing out the areas of the future WPR of key importance to Poland.
Talks also concerned direct sales, retail trade, and the situation on agricultural markets. Poland and Spain jointly identified the need to improve the management system of agricultural markets under the CAP in order to more actively prevent crises and implement market intervention instruments faster. Pointing out the problems on the fruit and vegetable markets which Spain has experienced as a result of the Russian embargo, Minister Isabel García Tejerina stressed the need for further stabilisation activities undertaken by the European Commission.
In relation to the sugar market, the ministers were in favour of the necessity to conduct current monitoring of the situation at European level against threats arising from the abolition of production quotas.
Spain, which has experienced the problem of ASF in the past, expressed complete understanding for measures undertaken by Poland to reduce the spread of the virus, offered the opportunity to exchange experiences for all instruments used by the European Commission to combat the disease.
Given the numerous challenges facing the European agricultural policy, Poland and Spain have expressed their willingness to intensify cooperation in the area of agriculture, both at ministerial and expert level.