The European Commission does not intend to use EU funds to support the European pig sector, which is plagued by swine fever, just before the Christmas holidays. According to Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski, there are currently signs of slight recovery in pig prices.
Buying up stocks with EU funds now would distort the market. However, if the recovery does not continue, a market intervention in January is likely, he said.
This was the third consecutive month that EU countries urged Brussels for extra support, but especially the 'large' meat-producing countries such as Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Spain have so far opposed this.
At a press conference following the Agriculture Council, the commissioner said he had spoken to individual countries about this but did not name any.
Thirteen EU countries also called for Brussels to come forward with additional support for the extremely high prices of artificial fertilizer, seeds, and gas prices (for greenhouses). Wojciechowski pointed out that this is not a European but a global problem. He hinted that the heads of state and government will revisit this matter later this week at their EU summit.
Wojciechowski also noted that several EU countries have used millions from their COVID recovery funds for rural development. They are also allowed to use this money to support pig farmers or aid for fertilizers.
On behalf of the Visegrad Group, the Czech Republic once again tried to postpone the new agricultural policy and the Farm to Fork strategy because many countries have not yet submitted their NSPs.
Therefore, according to many Eastern European countries, the CAP should only be marginally assessed in its initial years. But the European Commission and other EU countries (including the Netherlands) remain committed to the agreements made.