EU Commission: von der Leyen, “We will continue to engage with our farmers”. Derogations to CAP rules proposed

For one year, suspending import duties and quotas on Ukraine exports to the EU, thus strengthening the protection of the EU’s sensitive agricultural produce: this has been proposed today by the European Commission, “in line with the EU’s commitment to supporting Ukraine as long as required”. The proposal includes, also for one year, the suspension of the duties that still apply to imports from Moldova that have been enforced in July 2022. And, while farmers keep on protesting, Brussels sends “a first concrete political response to face the farmers’ concerns for their income” by proposing to allow European farmers to avail of derogations for the year 2024 from PAC rules, the Common Agricultural Policy, obliging them to keep certain areas non-productive. The decision will have to be taken by the member states, which will have to vote on it so that the European Commission may formally enforce it. “Farmers are the backbone of EU food security and the heart of our rural areas”, stated president Ursula von der Leyen, who pointed out that the CAP budget is worth 386.7 billion euros and ensured: “We will continue to engage with our farmers to ensure the CAP strikes the right balance between responding to their needs while continuing to deliver public goods for our citizens”.
Redazione