MADRID, 26 (SERVIMEDIA)

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, demanded this Monday from the European Commission a “strong” response to the demands that the primary sector has been demanding with demonstrations in recent weeks and pointed out that the fundamental objective is to “reestablish the trust” with farmers, which has been “broken.”

This was indicated to the media upon his arrival at the Council of Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries of the European Union, in Brussels, where the minister will defend and convey to the heads of Agriculture of the Twenty-seven measures such as reducing the bureaucracy of the Common Agricultural Policy (PAC) and addressing ‘mirror clauses’.

The minister assured that he will begin his speech by demanding “the need for a new great European pact for our farmers” that is the “best instrument” so that they “understand, understand and support the transformation process that we are carrying out”, since “ On many occasions they live it as if it were a disease.”

“We cannot fall short. I believe that the European Commission has to take a step forward not only in relation to the proposals they have put forward but also the response to the issue before us because effectively in the face of a great European challenge a great European response is needed,” he indicated.

Although without determining whether they can be applied in this legislature, Planas was “optimistic” with the mirror clauses – those that prohibit the sale of non-EU food products in which products that cannot be applied in the EU have been used – and stated that, “when one has a just cause” and “very clear arguments in favor of it and knows how to defend it with patience and persistence, we end up achieving our result.”

However, he warned that the EU’s autonomy in food security “cannot collide with our strategic interests as an export bloc” to questions about whether free trade agreements should be rethought to protect the interests of the European primary sector.

Planas defended that with these treaties “benefits” are obtained for the primary sector and for society as a whole and, although he defended “adjusting the conditions” of these commercial exchanges, he warned that a “closing of borders” would be a “very serious mistake.” and the creation of a “new European autarky.”

Regarding the flexibility of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), he indicated that his wish is that the Commission “be in a position to present an urgent legislative proposal” so that the basic legislative acts can be “adapted by the Council and the Parliament”, but if it does not do so, I demanded that it give the Member States the necessary margin of flexibility so that we can take the necessary measures at this time.”

The measures that Planas will demand are part of the 18 proposals presented by the Ministry on February 15 to the main agricultural associations (Asaja, COAG and UPA) in which the reinforcement of the Food Chain Law, the voluntariness of the ‘digital notebook’, the maintenance of support for agricultural insurance and ‘agricultural diesel’, among others.

Coinciding with the meeting of EU ministers, the three main associations of the sector (Asaja, COAG and UPA) have called this Monday for a rally in Madrid, similar to the one promoted days ago by the Union of Unions. In this case, the march will start from the headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at the Atocha roundabout, to go to Paseo del Prado, Recoletos and Castellana and end in front of the headquarters of the European Commission Office.

(SERVIMEDIA) 26-FEB-2024 10:48 (GMT 1) JMS/gja

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