Estonian Presidency makes Common Agricultural Policy a priority
The move came as the issue was being debated by EU Farm Ministers in Brussels.
Speaking to Estonian Rural Affairs Minister Tarmo Tamm, Copa and Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said “Farmer’s incomes are 40% of average earnings and many are experiencing extreme economic hardship and increasing challenges like climate change. They rely on the CAP to make a living. They are also overwhelmed by the excessive red tape around the CAP. What we need therefore in the future is a stronger, simpler, competitive CAP, with common rules across the EU, and an adequate budget behind it. We need evolution and not a major overhaul of CAP rules. More focus also needs to be put on measures to help farmers better manage risk”.
The Estonian Informal Agricultural Ministers meeting on September 3-5 will focus on the future CAP and risk management.
Mr Pesonen also underlined his extreme concern about a suggestion included in the EU Commission Reflections Paper on the future of EU finances post-2020 to introduce national cofunding for direct payments under the first pillar of the CAP, warning that it risks renationalizing the CAP. He went on to welcome the Presidency priority to improve farmers positioning in the food chain and to put focus on simplification of the CAP largely in the context of the Omnibus regulation. Copa and Cogeca want legislation at EU level with independent enforcement by an authority to combat unfair practices and to apply significant sanctions to those that break EU law. Other priorities of the Presidency include the sustainable use of agricultural soils, with a high-level conference on this in October in Tallinn “Soils for sustainable food production and ecosystem services”.
For more information:
Copa Cogeca
www.copa-cogeca.eu