Members of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee expressed concern regarding the situation of the beef sector during a debate on 5 November.
The representative of the European Commission admitted that there is cause for concerned regarding the future of the European beef sector: “Prices are low and the sector is facing several challenges, consumption is falling and changes are affecting trade flows”, they said, even though there are differences between prices. The price decline (-5% on average) over the last twelve months has hit livestock farmers mainly in Poland (-9%), Sweden (-7%) and Germany (-6.6%). Romania and France, on the other hand, experienced a (albeit modest) increase in prices.
In recent years, climate change, changing consumption patterns and the prospects of a no-deal Brexit have led to a major destabilisation of the beef market in Europe, the Commission explained.
Anne Sander (EPP, France) said that the CAP reformed in 2013 provided a number of tools for risk management and contractualization. The proposals on the post-2020 CAP also include measures, including eco-regimes. Jarosław Kalinowski (EPP, Poland) regretted that the Commission had provided aid for Irish producers, but not for Polish farmers. Jeremy Decerle (Renew Europe, France) and other MEPs raised concerns about the draft EU/Mercosur trade agreement.
The Commission pointed out that Brazilian meat exporters (a small number of them have a licence to export to the EU) are mainly targeting the Chinese market, not the European market. The Commission added that the EU applies very strict controls to imports and that a safeguard clause exists in the EU/Mercosur agreement, which can be triggered in the event of a sudden increase in imports or in the event of serious threats that would destabilise the market. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)