Norbert Lins proposes concrete actions to tackle difficulties of farmers
- Drawing from debates with farmers, the Commission must take immediate actions
- Call for a simplified approval of changes to National Strategic Plans
- Need for adaptation of GAEC 6, 7 and 8
- Assessment of European Green Deal legislation related to agriculture should be launched
To tackle difficulties encountered by European farmers, more subsidiarity, flexibility, fairness and cooperation is needed, reads a letter of Norbert Lins.
In a letter addressed on Tuesday, 20 February to Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski, the Chair of the EP’s Agriculture Committee (AGRI) Norbert Lins (EPP, DE) supported by the majority of political groups in the Committee proposes concrete actions to immediately tackle difficulties encountered by the European farming community.
Procedures for the Commission’s approval of adaptations to National Strategic Plans by Member states must be simplified, limiting the Commission’s role to safeguarding the basic principles of the EU-legislative framework, reads the letter.
The Commission should launch an urgent legislative procedure to adapt the Good agricultural and environmental conditions (GAEC) 6, 7 and 8 until the end of 2027. Member states should be granted more flexibility as concerns penalties, proposes the Chair.
Mirror clauses in all trade agreements - present and future - should be promoted. The implementation of these clauses must be transparently monitored in line with market developments, urges Mr Lins.
The Unfair Trading Practices Directive should be revised based on the feedback from the agriculture sector to create actual impact, while establishing a mechanism for fair price transmission throughout the value chain, adds the Chair.
Collective actions and collaboration between sector partners across the supply chain should be actively promoted to improve the farmers situation in the supply chain while reconsidering competition rules.
Lastly, the letter calls on the Commission to launch an assessment to consider the best way to integrate all European Green Deal legislation related to agriculture and determine the need for any exceptions, transition periods or alternative proposals, including maintenance of the status quo, in order to facilitate the compliance.
Background
The difficulties the European farming community is facing have been a topic of a number of debates in the European Parliament. The European Parliament plenary debated how to empower farmers and rural communities with Executive Vice-President of the Commission Maroš Šefčovič 7 February. The AGRI Committee held a debate with representatives of European stakeholders COPA, COGECA, CEJA and La Via Campesina on 13 February to hear first-hand what they consider that needs to be done.
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Hana RAISSI
Press officer