The EU’s common agricultural policy must focus on farmers A

(Photo: AM/Csaba Pelsőczy)

According to István Nagy, the priority task of the EU agriculture ministers is to form a common position and define the directions of the agricultural policy after 2027. The timing of the Hungarian EU presidency is particularly important from this point of view, since the new European Commission has not yet been established, but the ministers of the member states will have to convince this body of the goals to be pursued, he added. The current period is an opportunity to formulate proposals and expectations, and Budapest can be considered the first stop in formulating a common position – emphasized the Minister of Agriculture. István Nagy announced that at the Budapest meeting, the heads of the EU agricultural ministries agreed on the raison d’être of a strong, separate CAP, as this will be necessary in the future for both the development of agriculture and food security. However, amendments are inevitable, as the current system is too complicated, too bureaucratic, and all changes are difficult, while social, economic, and environmental changes follow each other quickly. KAP strategic plans “should be really strategic”, their content should be simplified, and the possibility of modification should be made easier – said István Nagy, who, in agreement with other ministers of agriculture, urges, among other things, the simplification of the payment system. At the meeting, the majority also agreed on the expansion of risk prevention and risk management tools and the strengthening of agricultural insurance, because market crises and natural damages can be countered with these, he said.

István Nagy noted that the producers should not be blamed for climate change, since they did not cause it, but the adverse effects affect them as well

All EU member states are faced with the consequences of too much or too little precipitation, but producers could help in the fight against climate change, they just need to be made interested in the success of the green transition and find a balance between their obligations and their competitiveness. According to the Minister of Agriculture, the meeting held in Budapest met the expectations of the Hungarian EU Presidency and laid the foundations for the joint proposal for the next agricultural policy cycle. Negotiations about this will continue under the Hungarian EU presidency – said István Nagy, who is confident that the European Commission will take into account the position of the agriculture ministers.

MTI