The reduction of the environmental requirements of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) announced by the European Commission may perhaps calm rural protests. But the reversal of part of these measures has had a collateral effect and has put another group on alert, that of environmental organizations.
“Sacrificing a European Green Deal that has not even been launched due to the rural crisis is irresponsible,” lamented Celsa Peiteado, head of the WWF Spain Food program. Both this organization and SEO/BirdLife describe what was announced on Monday as “unjustifiable setback.” If the promises of the member states and the EC to farmers are fulfilled, the community standard will reduce the sustainability requirements to receive aid. “Inadequate prices or unfair competition will not be solved with depleted aquifers, desertified soils and climate change operating within unpredictable limits,” WWF and SEO/BirdLife insisted.
Irrigated and industrial agriculture consumes around 80% of water resources in Spain and together, the CAP accounts for a third of the community budget. Environmental organizations consider that, although it is essential to accompany farmers in the transition to more sustainable agriculture, politics and public money must guarantee an industry that protects natural resources.
The primary sector is not the only one that has questioned the green economic transition proposed by Europe. Airlines are also questioning the sustainable fuel use (SAF) objectives set by the EC, while the use of electric cars is not being deployed at the expected speed.
Although the Commission and the Agriculture Ministers of the Twenty-seven have picked up the gauntlet of the mobilizations and are advancing changes in the CAP, the sector continues with the protests. Now, the center of the road blocks is the competition considered unfair, from third countries that would not comply with community requirements.
In Catalonia, the Unió de Pagesos union and the Revolta Pagesos collective claimed to have mobilized 1,200 tractors this Tuesday on different sections of the AP-7 and the AP-2 and the A2 to protest this “unfair competition.” The road closures are expected to continue tomorrow and French farmers from the Confédération Paysanne union will also join in, attempting to paralyze some points along the border. The Catalan union and its Spanish counterpart, Unión de Uniones, have asked MEPs to vote against the EU trade agreement with Chile. Transport organizations, for their part, have asked the Catalan Government to guarantee the circulation of goods – some trucks were looted this morning.
