Luis Planas: Spain supports the European Commission's 'Vision' because it responds to the immediate challenges facing agriculture in the EU

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, at the European Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, has expressed Spain's support for the document "Vision for agriculture and food" presented last week by the European Commission because it provides a response from "an overall perspective to the immediate challenges we face in relation to agriculture and food in the EU".

The Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers, which met today in Brussels, discussed the presentation of this document, which will be addressed in greater detail at the March meeting. Planas highlighted the fact that for the first time a European Commission document proposes the prohibition of selling at a loss within the food chain and the implementation of the written contract, precepts already included in the Spanish chain law reformed in December 2021. "It is a very interesting contribution to the remuneration of farmers," he said.

The minister also welcomed the fact that the Commission is proposing that the aid from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) should in the future be focused primarily on the farmers and stockbreeders who need it most rather than be generalised horizontal support. "Small and medium-sized producers are the huge middle class of the sector," he emphasised.

The third aspect highlighted by the minister on the Commission document is reciprocity in trade practices and mirror clauses on issues such as the ban on importing products from third countries whose production uses plant protection products that are not permitted in Europe.

Situation of agricultural markets in the EU

The minister thanked the European Commission for activating the CAP crisis reserve fund to deal with adverse weather conditions, with an allocation of €68 million for Spain, representing 70% of the total. The Government will allocate €53 million to the agricultural sector affected by the DANA and the other €15 million to areas affected by recurrent drought.

As one of the main items, the Commission presented its regular report on the agri-food market situation, in particular in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine.

The Commission has given details on the fertiliser market situation, the need for diversification of supply sources so that dependence on third countries can be reduced, and the parallel need for development of the Renure regulation to advance the use of organic fertilisation and fertilisers. Planas and ministers from other member states expressed their concern about the situation of this market and the need to adjust supply and demand. Planas gave details on the situation of the wine and olive oil markets in Spain.

The Council discussed an item called the rural guarantee mechanism, which aims to verify the impact of other policies on the development of rural areas and their inhabitants, with a view to drawing up some form of recommendation for the preparation of the next Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034.

The importance of the correct application of this principle was highlighted at the high-level forum held in Sigüenza (Guadalajara) in September 2023, and in the conclusions of the Council on the Rural Vision in November 2023, during the Spanish presidency of the Council. For Planas "the implementation of the Rural Guarantee Facility should help to ensure coherence, consistency and complementarity between policies and instruments targeting rural areas".

Non official translation