At the EU ‘Agriculture’ Council on Monday 23 February, Portugal, supported by several delegations, defended the introduction of a European reinsurance system for natural disasters (https://aeur.eu/f/kvi ).
Portuguese Minister for Agriculture, José Manuel Fernandes’ request was supported by his counterparts from Spain, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Belgium, Poland and France.
Christophe Hansen, the European Commissioner for Agriculture, acknowledged that the agricultural crisis reserve (€450 million a year) was “a drop in the ocean”. He added that reinsurance could be an avenue worth exploring, particularly in partnership with the European Investment Bank (EIB).
Romania, supported by Hungary, Malta, Poland and Slovakia, also spoke of the crisis in the pig sector (see EUROPE 13811/6). These Member States (along with Italy) have called for exceptional aid.
Germany, on the other hand, said that this intervention was not justified. Mr Hansen pointed out that pork prices were in the process of recovering. In his view, the EU/Mercosur agreement could provide outlets for EU producers, and the situation does not justify exceptional measures at this stage. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)