Participants at the Global Food Forum held in Italy on 17 and 18 September said it was necessary to give preference to the quality of the agreement on Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2020 rather than be hasty in order to facilitate a swift arrangement on the EU’s multiannual financial framework (MMF) for 2021-2027.
Discussion between the 200 or so participants (MEPs, government representatives, civil society) at the Global Food Forum, organised by the think-tank Farm Europe near Pavia (Italy), highlighted during talks on the MFF post-2020 and the different policies that “quality should be prioritised more than the timing”. They also underlined that the CAP should stay a common policy and not be re-nationalised.
Brendan Gleeson, the deputy secretary general of the Ministry of Agriculture of Ireland, said: “The timetable is binding but we must take time to reflect on the real needs of EU farmers and have transitional measures from now on to extend the current framework after 2020”.
The opening speeches at the Global Food Forum were delivered by the Italian and French ministers for agriculture, Gian Marco Centinaio and Stéphane Travert. The former said the necessary time must be taken to reflect on transitional measures. He stated he was opposed to the budget cuts foreseen by the Commission for this policy.
The French minister argued for a policy that must have “financial means to meet its ambitions”. He recalled the existence of a declaration by 20 member states in favour of keeping CAP funding at the current level after 2020.
Brexit. The United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU represents a major threat for the EU’s agricultural sector, the Forum said. It calls on EU leaders to “spare no efforts to reach the best possible agreement limiting trade disturbance, including via an extension of the transition period as long as necessary”.
The EU must seize the opportunity provided by the next CAP reform to design a new global approach of the toolbox to better protect its farmers (mutual trust funds and insurances to face an average level of volatility or climate risks), those attending the Forum said. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)