Spain and Portugal place climate adversities and the future of the CAP among the main challenges of the new European legislature

The Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries of Portugal, José Manuel Fernandez, and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, at the ministerial meeting within the framework of the Portuguese-Spanish Summit, held in Faro (Pool Moncloa)

Both agreed that the recurrent droughts that affect some areas of the Iberian Peninsula, the problems arising from climate change and the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) are priorities for the new European legislature.

At the ministerial meeting held as part of the Portugal-Spain summit in Faro, Planas and Fernandes shared their concern about the drought situations that have been occurring in recent years and which have been affecting certain areas of both countries more intensely, where they persist despite the generally good start to the hydrological year. The Spanish minister welcomed the fact that the President of the European Commission, Ursula Van der Leyen, has included the drawing up of a water agenda among the priorities for the new legislature.

Planas pointed out that it is essential to apply the best and most innovative technologies to face a future with less water availability and stressed the need to make progress in modern and sustainable irrigation, which is efficient in the use of water and energy, in order to maintain stable production and guarantee food security. He recalled the Government of Spain's commitment to an ambitious irrigation modernisation plan with an investment of more than 2.4 billion euros up to 2027.

The Spanish and Portuguese ministers discussed the development of a common position in the debate on the European Strategic Dialogue and the configuration of the CAP after 2027, which should include aspects that provide a solution to the problems that have caused the unease of farmers and stockbreeders. Planas stressed that the CAP must play a central role in communications policies, in accordance with the founding Treaty of the European Communities, because all its objectives remain valid.

He pointed out that agricultural policy, with funding in line with the challenges and strategic importance of the sector, must give special consideration to the effort to adapt production systems to climate change and, in particular, to those that suffer the most severe consequences.

In addition, the meeting also discussed the need for the European Union to provide a mechanism to cover extraordinary damage to agricultural production, which is increasingly affected by extreme climate events that are impossible to deal with using the funds from the current crisis reserve.

The two ministers shared the experience of the respective countries in amending national strategic plans. Luis Planas stressed that the Commission must make further progress in making the CAP more flexible and simpler.

Spain and Portugal also enjoy very good fisheries relations. The two ministers agreed on the need to uphold the basic principles of the Common Fisheries Policy to ensure that fishing and aquaculture activities contribute to long-term environmental, economic and social sustainability.

Non official translation