There should be no doubt that farmers remain a valued part of our culture and future. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this on Wednesday in response to new demonstrations in various EU countries by farmers calling attention to their difficult working conditions.
Many farmers feel undervalued and fear being affected by climate change measures. Von der Leyen acknowledged that her ambitious climate policy will bring changes for everyone. The new EU Agriculture Commissioner, the Pole Janusz Wojciechowski, will ensure that "our farmers can also thrive while adapting to the new reality," promised the German politician in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
We need a strategy to sustainably get food from the farm to our plate, said Von der Leyen. This includes, for example, ensuring that young farmers have access to financing. Additionally, it is important that imported food meets European environmental standards, she tried to reassure the agricultural sector.
Promotion
Due to the consecutive parliamentary elections in EU countries, the confusion surrounding Brexit, the ongoing migration crisis, and fears of a possible new financial crisis, negotiations in the EU over the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) have stalled. The middle of 2021 is now set in Brussels as the starting date. The core of the issue remains the multiannual budget and the question of how much money can still go to agriculture.
The original proposal from the now outgoing Commission is under heavy fire. Its gist is about: even less money for agriculture (pillar 1) and a further shift towards environmental and climate measures (pillar 2) plus possibly a reduction of the total agricultural budget by 10 percent. This means a further significant reduction of income support. Wojciechowski wisely remained silent on this during his hearing in the European Parliament; otherwise, he could have packed up right then.
However, the new EU agriculture commissioner had earlier said he was in favor of equalizing all hectare subsidies in the EU. That would mean income support in the Eastern European and southern member states would significantly increase and fall sharply in other member states, including the Netherlands.
The recently leaked announcement from Frans Timmermans (the Commission's second in command) revealing that a proposal is on the table in Brussels to transfer 40 percent of the total agricultural budget for income support over the next 7 years to the subsidy pot for environmental and climate actions, does not make things easier for Wojciechowski.