Christiane Lambert (FNSEA, France), who was elected on Friday 18 September as President of the European Farmers' Organisation (COPA) for 2 years, believes that agriculture is a “ strategic sector for Europe” and that the Covid-19 crisis has “contributed to putting food security and nutrition back at the forefront of citizens' concerns”.
Ms Lambert will be supported in her mission by six vice-presidents elected on Friday: Tim Cullinan (IFA, Ireland), Palle Borgström (LRF, Sweden), Massimiliano Giansanti (Confagricoltura, Italy), Pedro Gallardo (ASAJA, Spain), Mladen Jakopović (HPK, Croatia) and Roomet Sõrmus (EPKK, Estonia).
Christiane Lambert succeeds German Joachim Rukwied, who has led the organisation for the past 3 years.
During a videoconference with the press, Christiane Lambert indicated that she was going to “articulate” the beginning of her presidency around three axes: - the European Green Deal, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the budget; - external trade relations and “our open strategic autonomy”; - communication work to fight against clichés.
She also urged that funds allocated for economic recovery and the transition to a greener economy in the EU be rapidly deployed and used as early as 2021. “This should be done without preconditions such as the finalisation or approval of the CAP strategic plans”, she said.
On trade, Ms Lambert asked not to make any agricultural concessions in the negotiations on free trade agreements (notably with New Zealand and Australia) “before concluding negotiations with the United Kingdom”.
Lastly, she asked the Commission to take measures (private storage aid to regulate volumes, regionalisation, biosecurity) in favour of EU pigmeat producers in view of the effects of the outbreaks of African swine fever detected in particular in Germany. “The crisis is taking on a serious dimension” in Europe, Ms Lambert said. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)