Brussels, 29/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - In the countries preparing to integrate the EU next May, the number of persons employed in the agricultural sector saw a spectacular fall, leading to huge pockets of rural unemployment. In order to avoid the continuation of the rural depopulation, it is crucial to create, in all sectors of the economy, business opportunities in the countryside. This is the conclusion of the public hearing organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on 14 October in Brussels, on the theme 'The agricultural employment situation in the EU and the accession countries: options for action for 2010' and to which participated representatives from family farms, employers and employees from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
For Kaul Nurm (Estonian Farmers Federation) 'family farmers are ambassadors between populated area and the countryside. We need them to ensure that both survive.' As for Andras Berczky (Farm, Forestry and Water Workers Federation of Hungary), he added that if the initiatives are not taken, there exists a true danger of 'exporting poverty to other EU Member States.' The talks brought to the fore specific difficulties that will confront the future member states, underlines a press release from the EESC, such as the large number of subsistence farmers in Poland and the very low density of population in rural areas of Latvia. Among the measures aimed at resolving these problems, the participants notably suggested: 1) granting greater importance to education and training; 2) taking measures aimed at attracting youths to agriculture; 3) establishing early retirement systems; 4) enhancing the role of organised civil society and social dialogue; 5) establishing, in all the member states, a replacement system for farmers that are on sick leave or want to take holidays.
It should be noted that the EESC (Agriculture section) is in the process of drafting an opinion on this issue. The rapporteur is Hans-Joachim Wilms (Workers Group, Germany).