Spaanse minister Espinosa: consensus bereikt over toekomstig Europees landbouwbeleid (en)

The Spanish Minister i for the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, Elena Espinosa, stated that from 2013, the European agro-food model will be provided with a sufficiently large budget and will be of good quality. She made these remarks after chairing the last Council of the Spanish Presidency's semester.

Espinosa remarked that all the ministers agreed on a series of basic principles for the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy that should be approved within the next three years. These include, for example, the market mechanisms that will ensure that farmers have sufficient income, given the volatile nature of the market.

She also added that it is clear that quality agriculture, based on respect for the environment and animal welfare, is the kind of agriculture that should be supported.

In order to reach the conclusions adopted today, the Spanish Presidency has promoted different debates on competitiveness in the agro-food sector.

“We should be pleased, because we have obtained commitments from different agricultural groups”, said the Minister. .

According to the conclusions, there has been a wide consensus on the European production model. With its high standards, it is an important part of our heritage which must be conserved.

It is also recognised that while this production model presents opportunities, there are also challenges in terms of competitiveness in a global market. Both elements should be taken into account if sustainability is to be promoted and guaranteed.

Moreover, in terms of international law, it is important to recognise the need for equal conditions to exist between the EU i and producers from third countries, which is why Europeans should strengthen their role in the negotiations on global regulations.

The European Commissioner i for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dacian Ciolos i, accepted these conclusions “with satisfaction”, because they are “an important starting point” for the world-wide recognition of the European agro-food model.

“Under the Spanish Presidency, there have been some very coherent and important debates, even more so when it has been possible for the Council to make conclusions, to agree on certain principles and values that will allow us reflect on the reforms to come after 2013”, he said.

Once that the basis of the future of European agro-food has been established, which was made explicit by the inclusion of the agricultural policy in the 2020 Strategy, there are still details to be sorted out on matters such as single payments or insurance for income.