Pedro Sánchez argues for CAP and cohesion policies without cuts

Brussels (Belgium)

"We are not going to accept a proposal that consolidates cuts", said Pedro Sánchez when referring to the draft Budget presented by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel. During the two days of negotiations and following several bilateral meetings, the President of the Government called for an EU Budget that guarantees a bare minimum for two fundamental policies for Spain, which are the cohesion policies and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Pedro Sánchez also argued that the "new policies" on climate change, innovation, security and defence, and foreign affairs should have provisions in line with the major challenges but which, according to the President of the Government, must not be to the detriment of the structure and cohesion of the EU.

In relation to the CAP and cohesion policies, Pedro Sánchez said that they are modernising policies because they help counter the demographic challenge, they help the ecological transition and they are essential for the survival of rural life, leading issues for Spain,

Accordingly, the President of the Government sought to convey a message of confidence to the Spanish agricultural sector, stressing that he "sympathises with their claims" and will defend their interests in Brussels. "The well-being of farmers and the subsidies that help the convergence of different regions are at the heart of the concerns of this government: we must guarantee the maintenance of subsidies for the countryside so that farmers can perform their work with dignity and to adapt to the ecological transition without having to take on the costs alone".

Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la BellacasaAs regards the cohesion funds, the President of the Government stressed that the Government of Spain "will continue to fight" so that beneficiary Spanish regions, and those that suffered the worst in the crisis, continue to receive this aid.

In short, the President of the Government called for an ambitious Budget, both in size and in design, which allows the EU to maintain internal cohesion and which is in line with European targets set in the Strategic Agenda. Hence, Spain joins 17 other Member States in the "group of countries that advocate an ambitious Europe", to defend a Budget at the level Europe requires.

Pedro Sánchez admitted that the negotiations in this post-Brexit era are complex and recalled that the European Parliament must vote in favour of this Budget and reiterated several times his call for the ceiling on spending to amount to 1.3% of the European Gross National Income, well above the different draft Budgets that have been presented to date. The President of the Government expressed his confidence in an agreement being reached by the 27 Member States to ensure a fair and balanced Budget.

Non official translation