Planas and his counterpart Jacob Jensen discuss the challenges of the forthcoming Danish presidency of the Council of the European Union

​The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, and his Danish counterpart, Jacob Jensen, greet each other

The two ministers discussed the priorities for Denmark's upcoming European Presidency in the second half of the year. Planas acknowledged that the Danish Presidency will be crucial for making progress on such important issues as the definition of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget, the application of new genomic techniques (NTG) and the review of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

The Spanish minister expressed his full support to the Danish Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries and conveyed a message of confidence that the upcoming Danish Presidency will continue along the path initiated during the Spanish Presidency (second half of 2023) to consider agriculture and fisheries as key activities from the perspective of economic, environmental and social sustainability. Within this framework, all those aspects that guarantee a more competitive and innovative sector must be improved and supported, Luis Planas stressed.

The two ministers discussed the need for a stable, strong and adequately budgeted Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on a path of simplification and competitiveness. In this regard, Planas acknowledged that the new financial framework from 2028 "gives us the opportunity to recognise the strategic value of the European agri-food and fisheries system, to guarantee a strong budget and adequate funding for the new CAP and the Common Fisheries Policy, and to avoid any cuts that would compromise its competitiveness or prevent it from overcoming the challenges it faces".

With regard to the use of new genomic techniques, Planas stressed that Spain remains committed to reaching an agreement in the Council of the European Union and thanked his Danish counterpart for the close and good collaboration that both countries have maintained on this issue. The Spanish minister pointed out that some of the European Union's main competitors have regulations in this respect and are firmly committed to these techniques, which offer new tools to the agri-food sector to tackle the challenges of climate change.

Review of the Multi-annual Mediterranean Fisheries Plan

Luis Planas conveyed to Jacob Jensen his intention to improve the decision-making procedure in the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and fishing quotas process. According to Planas, it is important that, in addition to the scientific reports of a biological nature, reports on the social and economic impact on the areas where it is applied must also be taken into account.

In addition, Luis Planas considers that, after five years of implementation, an in-depth review of the multi-annual Mediterranean plan is necessary to make it more efficient, to allow for sustainable and solid long-term fisheries management that ensures the economic viability of the sector and, at the same time, the recovery of species.

With a view to a future reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, the Spanish minister stressed that it is necessary to guarantee a balance between the environmental, economic and social objectives of the policy. Specifically, he pointed out that "it is essential to address generational change in the fisheries sector, decarbonisation and the defence of the position of fishing activity within the context of the blue economy".

Non official translation