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Takáč: It is good that we are talking about what agricultural policy should look like after 2027

by AI | 27.Sep 2024 | Europe in brief AI

Minister of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic Richard Takáč claims that the EU must be prepared for some new circumstance or unexpected situation and cannot wait months or years to make a decision.

Minister of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic Richard Takáč claims that the EU must be prepared for some new circumstance or unexpected situation, it must decide operatively and quickly. Photo: TASR - Dano Veselský

Brussels – The heads of the agricultural departments of the EU member states also discussed the conclusions of the strategic dialogue on the future of EU agriculture during an informal working lunch in Brussels. This was confirmed to TASR by the Slovak Minister of Agriculture Richard Takáč (Smer-SD) after the meeting of the EU Council for Agriculture and Fisheries.

The strategic dialogue led by a working group of experts emerged in response to the European Commission’s (EC) protests and demonstrations by farmers from European countries at the beginning of this year. Last week, MEPs were also briefed on this report.

Takáč stated that Slovakia perceives several positive aspects of the report. On Monday (September 23), Professor Peter Strohschneider, the head of the working group established by the EC, which was represented by Slovak Eurocommissioner Maroš Šefčovič, spoke to the ministers about it.

“I agree with the report in the context of rural support, reducing bureaucracy, and we are also in favor of more efficient and faster decision-making,” said Takáč. The agro-ministers from each member state had the opportunity to comment on the report.

He specified that the EU must be prepared for some new circumstance or unexpected situation and cannot wait months or years to decide on something. Decisions must, in his view, be made operationally and quickly. He emphasized that the Council of Ministers mainly talked about the need to simplify the settings of the common agricultural policy, to reduce bureaucracy, and to provide more flexibility in direct payments for farmers.

“Here there is consensus among colleagues. I think these are positive things. We will definitely support any positive thing that is mentioned. I always say that we look at it with common sense,” described Takáč, adding that “it is appropriate” if the representatives of the agricultural departments are already talking about what will happen in this area after 2027. (September 23)