Have the article read by OpenAI (Beta). Please note that AI translations may take some time to process.Brussels (dpa) – A report released on Wednesday urges the European Commission to shake up the European Union’s agricultural subsidies to better support poorer farmers, aiming to address the concerns that sparked the widespread protests by furious farmers in recent months.
“Bold and swift action at all levels is needed” to address multiple agricultural and environmental crises, said the report, written by an expert committee and presented to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels.
The report advises targeting subsidies from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) fund towards “farmers who need it most” based on income and away from payouts based on the size of land held.
The wide-ranging consultations involving agricultural bodies and environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were launched by von der Leyen in the wake of angry farmers’ protests across the EU earlier this year. Farmers were particularly displeased with increased bureaucracy and falling incomes.
The report is meant to inform agricultural policy in the new Commission for the next five years. Other recommendations include a specific loan package for the agricultural sector from the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The report also advised a rethink of the bloc’s trade negotiation strategy to account for the “strategic relevance of agriculture and food products” and a review of impact assessments of trade deals.
The Commission should also establish a platform for further consultations among stakeholders from agricultural and environmental groups, the report said. (4 September)
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