EU Agriculture Ministers Discuss Strategic Plan and Trade Relations with Third Countries

Agriculture Minister Luis Planas and EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski met to discuss the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan and trade relations with third countries. The meeting focused on the rising prices of raw materials affecting Community farms, the CAP Strategic Plan approval process, and reciprocity in trade relations with third countries. Planas emphasized the need for coordinated action to address the price surge and urged the Commission to play a leadership role in resolving the issue. The meeting also touched on the approval process for the CAP Strategic Plan, which was submitted to the European Commission on December 29, and the importance of maintaining a dialogue to speed up contributions or modifications during the review process.

Key Takeaways:

• The prices of raw materials such as feed, fertilizers, and energy have surged, affecting Community farms and farmers' profitability.
• Minister Luis Planas has urged the European Commission to coordinate a response to address the price surge, which affects the entire Union.
• Planas has emphasized the need for equal rules of the game in trade relations with third countries, highlighting the importance of "mirror clauses" for producers competing on equal terms.
• The minister has requested the Commission to consider citrus fruits as highly sensitive products and to implement cold treatment for imported products to prevent pest entry.
• The CAP Strategic Plan approval process was discussed, with Spain submitting the plan to the European Commission on December 29.
• Planas thanked the Commissioner for the collaboration of the EC Directorate-General for Agriculture in solving technical issues during the plan's preparation.
• The meeting highlighted the positive relationship between the ministry and the commissioner, with Planas praising the collaboration and solidarity shown by Wojciechowski.

Statistics:

• 4,492 pages: the number of pages in the CAP Strategic Plan.
• 3 years: the duration of work involved in preparing the CAP Strategic Plan.
• 29 December: the date Spain submitted the CAP Strategic Plan to the European Commission.
• 17 January: the date of the next Council of Agriculture Ministers, where the price surge issue will be addressed again.

Sources:

• Euclid Infotech Pvt. Ltd., Copyright 2022, distributed by Contify.com.