Planas promotes the CAP as a key tool to respond to current challenges and ensure food security

In his appearance before the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development in Brussels, Mr Planas stressed the relevance and topicality of agricultural policy 60 years after its creation - as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic and now by the war in Ukraine - because "it guarantees the supply of quality food in sufficient quantity and at reasonable prices for all citizens".

In this regard, Planas expressed the need to maintain and support this Community policy, valuing the words of the President of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, in the debate on the state of the EU in her firm defence of farmers and livestock farmers.

To this end, he added, the CAP must continue to have an adequate budget to promote more sustainable agriculture, contribute to maintaining farmers' incomes and guarantee the future of rural areas, as already set out in the Treaty of Rome, functions which were subsequently also recognised in the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.

In his speech, Luis Planas reviewed the priorities of the Spanish presidency of the Council of the EU, which include advancing in the debate on developing new genomic techniques, for which it is necessary to commit to a "serious and transparent debate", suggesting that we "do not close our eyes to science".

It is a key tool for ensuring food self-sufficiency, undertaking the necessary transition to a more sustainable agri-food system and tackling the effects of climate change.

He also indicated that the Spanish presidency will pay special attention to the situation of agri-food markets, particularly affected by the "illegal and unjustified" Russian invasion of Ukraine, and by adverse climatic phenomena, with a view to adopting measures to mitigate and tackle the problems.

Expressing "absolute rejection of Russia's use of food as a weapon of war", the minister reiterated that the Council will work to provide emergency assistance and financial support to the most affected countries, promote the transition to sustainable and resilient food systems and ease tensions in agricultural markets in an open, transparent and predictable trading environment.

The minister also pointed out that the proposal for a regulation on the sustainable use of phytosanitary products is another of the Spanish presidency's priorities. This initiative aims to promote a more efficient and sustainable use of tools that are essential to fight plant pests and diseases.

In this regard, he pointed out that we must also be able to provide tools to farmers so that they can produce food in quantity, quality and at reasonable prices, because sustainability must be based on profitability. "There is no sustainability without profitability," he stressed.

The minister also demonstrated Spain's intention to continue to make progress on the protected geographical indications dossier, to promote these quality figures in all the member states and to ensure that farmers and livestock farmers benefit from this instrument that increases the added value of products. The minister is confident that the dossier will be finalised in October.

Similarly, he indicated that the Spanish presidency would continue work to update some of the so-called "breakfast directives", which affect products such as milk, fruit juices and jams. In this respect, he pointed out that efforts would be made to ensure that the labelling of honey include more detailed information on the composition of the product, in particular the reference to the countries of origin and, as requested by some member states, on the percentage of honey from third countries. In our capacity as the current holder of the presidency, Planas remarked that "we will try to reach an agreement".

Planas stressed that the Spanish presidency wants to give greater visibility to the opportunities offered by the rural environment. Spain, in collaboration with the European Commission, will hold the High-Level Conference on the future of rural areas, which will take place in Sigüenza (Guadalajara) at the end of September.

Non official translation