The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, emphasized in the context of the agreement with Mercosur that EU farmers can count on higher financial support and effective protection in the event of market disruptions. On Wednesday, EU agriculture ministers will meet in Brussels to discuss, among others: on the agreement with Mercosur.
The topic of the ministers' talks with commissioners Christophe Hansen and Marosz Trzeciczowicz will be the finalization of the trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur – a bloc of Latin American countries – and the future of the EU's common agricultural policy.
On the eve of the meeting, von der Leyen, who hopes to sign an agreement with Mercosur in the first half of January, sent a letter to EU lawmakers – European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and Cypriot President Nikos Christodulidis. Cyprus, which took over the leadership of the EU Council at the beginning of January, represents the member states.
In the document, the head of the European Commission argued that EU farmers can count on higher support from the EU and protection in the event of market disruptions. The politician noted that thanks to access to funds from national and regional plans, farmers will be able to benefit from an amount of almost EUR 294 billion under the common agricultural policy (CAP) in 2028-2034.
The Chairwoman also proposed the possibility of using funds to meet the needs of farmers more quickly from 2028. The idea is that Member States, after submitting their national plans, will have immediate access to two thirds of the amount normally available until the mid-term review. “This amounts to approximately EUR 45 billion that can be immediately mobilized to support farmers,” wrote the head of the European Commission.
As von der Leyen pointed out, farmers will also be able to benefit from EUR 6.3 billion from the so-called the Unity Safety Net aid fund, which the EU will make available to compensate farmers for losses resulting from market disruptions caused by trade agreements such as Mercosur. “In addition, farmers will be able to take advantage of the opportunity to receive crisis payments in the event of natural disasters, unfavorable climatic phenomena or animal diseases,” the text added.
Von der Leyen also emphasized that 10 percent funds from national and regional plans will have to be allocated to supporting investments in rural areas. “The combination of policy and budgetary tools will provide farmers and rural communities with an unprecedented level of support, in some respects even higher than in the current budget cycle, making the European agricultural sector more competitive and better prepared to meet global challenges,” said the Commission president.
The agreement is perceived by the European Commission and some EU countries as an opportunity to diversify trading partners in the face of the increasingly assertive attitude of the United States and China. Poland and France are opposed to the agreement, and Italy is also skeptical about the agreement.
At the meeting in Brussels, Poland will be represented by the Minister of Agriculture, Stefan Krajewski, and deputy ministers Jacek Czerniak and Adam Nowak.
From Brussels Jowita Kiwnik Pargana (PAP)
