go to the original language article
Brussels – The agriculture ministers also addressed the impact of the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine on Monday, particularly on the situation of the markets for agricultural products and food. With its new “vision” for agriculture and food, the EU Commission sets “the right priorities” and takes “another important and correct step towards a course correction,” explained Austria’s Agriculture Minister Totschnig (ÖVP).
He emphasized to journalists before the meeting that Europe’s supply security was paramount. It needs “fair incomes and fair competitive conditions.” The new “vision” for agriculture and food is a more competitive European agricultural industry with simpler and more targeted subsidies. The strategy paper on the common agricultural policy aims to bring climate protection together with the challenges of the sector: The Commission intends to “carefully examine” further pesticide bans in the future and to adapt standards for imported products.
Totschnig: Agricultural policy must continue to have “significant importance”
Europe’s farmers produced to high standards, according to the Minister of Agriculture. Imported food would sometimes be produced with pesticides that are banned in Europe or with lower animal welfare standards. For him, it is “essential” that targeted support for Europe’s agriculture and rural development continues to secure food production in the future. Totschnig therefore calls for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to be given “again the significant importance it currently has” in the future multi-annual EU budget.
He admitted that the “budgets are tight” and that it will be “a tough fight.” However, he will advocate for the “CAP to be adequately funded.” The EU direct payments are also an important part of income for domestic farmers, supplemented by funding for rural development, such as support for organic farming or mountain farmers: “We need this mix to continue to fulfill our tasks for Austria in food production and the preservation of cultural landscapes in the future.”
Agricultural funds make up a large part of the EU budget: approximately 365 billion euros are planned for the current funding period until 2027. The next multi-annual EU budget will run from 2028 for seven years. “Incentives instead of conditions” should, according to the Commission’s vision, guide the distribution of the billion-euro EU agricultural subsidies in the future. The focus should be on farmers who produce food. The Commission further stressed “the need to align climate protection with food security and the particular challenges of the sector.” (27.02.2024)