Valencian farmers Vague promises that do not reassure rural areas
.jpg "Valencian farmers Vague promises that do not reassure rural areas")
As the current wave of agricultural protests spread across Europe, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that she was still blocking new regulation aimed at reducing the number of authorized phytosanitary products by 50%. This was the first concession, apparently as a result of widespread pressure, although it is arguable that it had been planned in advance; In fact, recent months have seen a certain slowdown in environmental stringency in the Community Executive. On the one hand, they will have reports that show the depth of the problems that have arisen, which could lead to a serious decline in agri-food production in Europe. This is something that has been warned about for a long time, and not only from those affected: the United States is preparing to grow crops and sell to the European Union, which it stops producing. On the other hand, the most immediate: the European elections are coming. They are risking it in June, and it is not a question of provoking a large part of the voters. It is better to wait for now.
In recent days, there have been new flashes of concessions and announcements, more or less partial and always lacking specificity. In addition to remembering the public funds allocated to rural areas, Government President Pedro Sánchez has shown himself somewhat inclined to review the issues demanded by the sector. “The government is with the countryside,” he declared, reiterating official agreement with some of the points claimed, which in turn were among the principles already embraced by the region’s minister, Luis Planas: fair prices, reciprocity, The section seeks to ‘mirror’ the CAP to compete on an equal basis with third countries, strengthen food chain legislation, reduce and simplify the administrative burden of the CAP…
Planas re-affirmed that the government “listens, understands and offers solutions” to rural problems, but then, in addition to withdrawing aid budget items, he said he would also like to discuss in Brussels “the simplification and reciprocity of the CAP”. Will defend the principle. ,
Environmental groups hit back against possible revision of environmental rules that the agriculture sector criticizes
Given all this, it is logical that the field itself warns that concrete facts are needed, not just meaningless promises that reassure no one. No one is confident that the announcements made will be translated into reality and effectively. Because, moreover, environmental organizations have begun to push back against the possibility of a reversal of Brussels’ green policies. Greenpeace strongly criticizes von der Leyen’s announcement to suspend pesticide inventory reduction. So what will be the end result?
The reality is that everyone is thinking about the European elections. And also farmers and cattle herders. And it is also possible that electoral lists promoted by agricultural structures will spread to many places, as has already happened in the Netherlands. Because what comes out of the next elections will depend on what decisions are taken in the European Parliament in the coming years.
The current European Commission has left out important issues that concern the agricultural sector for two reasons: because the most democratic thing at the moment is not to adopt such relevant decisions on the eve of possible changes, and because it does not have one of those Want to upset the large majority who have to take decisions with their ballots.
In this way, promises and declarations remain in calculated ambiguity, trying to please something, or at least not offend. This will be specified later, as soon as everything arrives.
A very clear example: the digital field notebook. It is being said that it should be postponed again in Spain and that its format be changed, that it be started with the largest farms, that its application be expanded little by little, and that official means of training and permanent assistance be introduced. , which no longer exist, should be discontinued. put in place. It seems that the ministry is doing some studies in this direction, but again it all refers to “simplification of bureaucratic burden”. They don’t dare go straight to the point. Nor in terms of customer plans, defying spectacular changes in unregulated eco-plans… They are trying to make it temporary and buy time till the June elections.