Copa-Cogeca welcomes EU parliament’s CAP mandate
This is crucial to end the uncertainty facing farmers and agri-cooperatives and enable them to get on with their production and investment plans.
Speaking after the vote in Strasbourg, Copa president Gerd Sonnleitner stressed: “The decision today, which includes measures which are more practical for farmers to apply, is a good basis to work on and marks a key step forward in the EU decision process. The EU agriculture sector makes a significant contribution to growth and employment in the EU, employing nearly 40 million people mostly in the EU rural areas, and this decision should help to maintain this. I urge EU Farm Ministers next week to agree their position on the new CAP so that negotiations can commence between MEPs, EU Farm Ministers, the EU Commission to reach a final agreement by June.”
This was echoed by Cogeca president Christian Pees who underlined the increasing challenges facing farmers and agri-cooperatives like the extreme volatility on agricultural markets.
He said: “A strong CAP, with a good budget behind it, is vital to help stabilise markets and ensure that we have a competitive agri-food sector in the future to meet growing food demand.”
Copa-Cogeca also welcomed MEPs adoption of the resolution on the future EU budget for 2014-20, saying it paves the way for the final phase of the negotiations.
Source: farminglife.com