EU-Agricultural Dialogue Von der Leyen: too little and too late

David SASSOLI - EP President meets with Ursula VON DER LEYEN - EU Commission President-elect at the EP in Brussels

European farmers and their umbrella organizations in Brussels must step over their shadows and agree together on the prospects for agriculture. This was said by German professor Peter Strohschneider in his opening speech of the “Strategic Dialogue”. But according to critics, this attempt at reconciliation by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen comes 'too late and too little'. 

Strohschneider has been asked by Von der Leyen to lead discussions between all stakeholders in EU agriculture in the coming months. Until a few years ago he was a member of the Borchert Commission, which examined a future scenario for agriculture and livestock farming in Germany. The plan is to conclude the dialogue in the summer and present a vision plan by September

The “strategic dialogue” was proposed by Von der Leyen on September 13, 2023 to promote “more dialogue and less polarization” in agricultural policy. To this end, food producers, NGOs and various stakeholders in agriculture have now been brought together. 

Farmers in agricultural countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania have a litany of complaints. Their protests are aimed at both national bills and new European rules. In several countries, angry farmers are blocking highways using tractors. Their unrest is partly encouraged (especially in Germany, France and Italy) by far-right parties seeking voter support in the run-up to the June elections for the European Parliament. Opinion polls indicate a possible sharp shift to the right.

For a long time, within the EU, almost all agricultural and food issues belonged to the competence of the Agriculture Commissioner and the Agriculture Commission, who mainly put the interests of European farmers at the forefront. To the frustration of nature organizations, organic farmers and environmental groups and left-liberal factions, this has only changed since the current Von der Leyen Commission took office. 

Under the leadership of Commissioners Frans Timmermans (Climate) and Virginius Sinkevicius (Environment), a number of powers have been transferred from Agriculture to the Environment in recent years, much to the dissatisfaction of many farmers and their European umbrella organizations. Partly because of this, the agricultural and food debate is still dominated by opposing views between the Agriculture Committee (agri) and the Environment Committee (envi) of the European Parliament.

According to Spanish LNV Minister Luis Planas, Brussels has imposed 'environmental requirements on the agricultural sector [...] without adequate explanation, dialogue or financial support". But European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, Frans Timmermans' Green Deal successor, believes the strategic dialogue has started “at the right time” – even if some ministers claim it is now actually too late. 

Critics say it will be “difficult” to achieve results before the EU elections in June. In that case, the entire issue will actually be lifted beyond the elections (June 2024), after which the political groups will have to find a compromise, and Commissioners of a new European Commission will have to implement this (from 2025).