On Friday 3 April, MEP Éric Andrieu (S&D, France), put a written question to the European Commission calling for the creation of food reserves in light of the effects of the coronavirus crisis.
There will soon be a surplus of some agricultural products “because they cannot be transported or sold”, according to the MEP.
According to him, in order to avoid serious deregulation of food prices, the closure of thousands of farms across Europe or unprecedented food waste, “it is urgent and vital that Europe speeds up the establishment of food reserves provided for in European regulations and that the Commission fully assumes the role of regulator of agricultural markets in this period of crisis”.
Asked about the matter on the very same day, the spokesperson for the Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski said that one of the Commission's priorities since the start of the pandemic has been to “ensure safety and an efficient and functional food supply chain” across the continent. He recalled the measures taken so far and indicated that the Commission stood ready, if necessary, to “take further steps” (see EUROPE 12460/8).
Furthermore, the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) welcomed the measures announced by the Commission to help the agricultural sector. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)