Planas: "The CAP must maintain its uniqueness, with sufficient funding"

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, with one of his EU counterparts (Pool Moncloa)

At the Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers held in Brussels, Luis Planas defended the "uniqueness" of the CAP. He stressed that it has to maintain its strategic character within the European Union's policies in order to respond to the challenges currently facing food production. He called for the two-pillar structure of the CAP to remain intact, with direct income support for farmers and stockbreeders and rural development measures.

The minister urged those present not to forget the demonstrations staged by farmers and livestock farmers in a large number of Member States at the start of 2024, at which, he recalled, "they called for more support, more simplification and, above all, they called for recognition of the contribution of the agricultural sector to European food security". "Let's hope that the European Commission does not make the mistake of making a proposal that does not meet the basic expectations of the sector," he said.

The Commission is expected to present in July its proposal for the multiannual financial framework that will govern EU policies from 2027 onwards and for the regulations of the new CAP. Ministers present at the Agriculture Council meeting called for firm support from Agriculture and Food Commissioner Hansen in a general budget debate, and beyond the "Vision for Agriculture and Food" presented by the Commission.

The minister explained that CAP aid must evolve towards a simple and fair system of support, focused on the farmers who need it most, and must be truly incentivising, highlighting support for young people and women, because the agricultural sector provides public goods that must be compensated, as Europe's food security depends on it. To fulfil this role, the sector will require investment in technology and innovation, particularly in the field of irrigation or agricultural innovation, such as new genomic techniques.

Simplification measures

The Council discussed the CAP simplification proposals presented at the end of April by the European Commission, which the minister said was a "halfway" reform of the CAP. Planas stressed that the EC has taken on board most of the proposals presented by Spain.. He emphasised two issues in particular, the removal of the annual performance clearance, which involved calculations of more than 2,000 transactions, and the simplified scheme for recipients of aid of up to €2,500, although the minister announced that he would ask for this to be raised to €5,000.

Planas expressed his appreciation that the crisis reserve is only used to deal with market problems and has questioned the use of direct aid funds for these situations. He did, however, advocate strengthening national agricultural insurance by creating a European reinsurance system.

In the new debate held by the ministers on the Vision for Agriculture and Food, Planas reiterated Spain's positive assessment because "it is good for guiding the work for the legislature", but urged that the legislative proposals for the reform of the food chain and the simplified procedure for the authorisation of phytosanitary products, "which is very necessary to respond to the challenges arising from climate change", be carried out as soon as possible.

Tariffs

On the market situation, Luis Planas expressed support for the EC's strategy of reaching a negotiated solution to the imposition of tariffs with the US government to avoid an escalation of the trade war, which would be detrimental to both parties. In this regard, he welcomed the fact that the intervention of the President of the Commission yesterday, in a conversation with the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has allowed the situation to be redressed after the latter recommended - on Friday 23rd - imposing tariffs of 50% on all European products, and they have given each other until 9 July to try to reach an agreement.

The three keys to the current situation, Planas insisted, are respect, dialogue and firmness, because if a satisfactory agreement is not eventually reached, Europe will adopt the corresponding response measures.

Non official translation