On Friday 26 September, the EU’s agricultural organisations and cooperatives (Copa-Cogeca) presented ten “red lines” that make the European Commission’s proposals on the common agricultural policy (CAP) and its financing for the period 2028-2034 “unacceptable for European farmers”.
Copa president Massimiliano Giansanti told the press that, in his opinion, “nobody is prepared to accept the unacceptable. Many of our ‘red lines’ have been crossed, and this proposal is unsatisfactory”. He added that he would try to convince the Commission to “find another way”, pointing out that the co-legislators had also voiced strong criticism (see EUROPE 13714/1). Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been invited to meet Copa-Cogeca to discuss the reform on the table.
Mr Giansanti did not rule out organised demonstrations by EU farmers between now and the end of December, in Brussels and Strasbourg in particular. “Our tractors are ready”, he said.
According to Copa-Cogeca, the proposed new architecture of the CAP “runs counter to the EU Treaties”. The organisations denounce a weakening of the Union’s founding principles, with the CAP reduced to a simple single fund. They also point to the 20% cut in the budget allocated in the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the abolition of the CAP’s two-pillar structure. According to calculations, the share of CAP appropriations in the total EU budget would fall from 30% to 15%. Copa-Cogeca is calling for the introduction of an automatic mechanism to index CAP appropriations to inflation.
Copa-Cogeca also opposes the ideas of capping and degressivity of direct aid.
Trade. Sweden’s Lennart Nilsson, president of Cogeca, warned of the difficulties on the cereals market, where prices remain very low. He pointed out that the United States enjoys better access to the European market, while European producers do not have the same opportunities in return.
Massimiliano Giansanti recalled that Copa-Cogeca remains opposed to the EU-Mercosur agreement, due to the lack of sufficient guarantees in terms of reciprocity and protection mechanisms (safeguard clauses only cover 10% of imported volumes). Link to the Copa-Cogeca’s document: https://aeur.eu/f/in8 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)