Our shared responsibility is to provide farmers with predictable conditions

In the Spanish capital, the Hungarian minister discussed the most important tasks and objectives of the next EU presidency trio (Spain in the first six months, Belgium in the second, and Hungary in the third) starting in July with the leaders of the Spanish and Belgian partner ministries. After the discussion, a joint press conference was held. “We want to create a balance in our program between the competitiveness of farmers and the preservation of the quality of our created world, so that both development and the protection of the environment are sustainable,” said the Hungarian minister, emphasizing the importance of protecting the internal market, European food safety and sovereignty. The Hungarian presidency highlighted the need to draw attention to the management of crisis situations in the context of the negotiations on the rules of the common agricultural policy after 2027. He cited last year’s historic drought, the war in Ukraine and its consequences as examples. “We need answers to everything, new opportunities that we want to create during our presidency,” he declared.

Development and water management are related

The Hungarian presidency also wants to emphasize agricultural research development and innovation initiatives that strengthen food security, as well as water management for agricultural and ecological purposes. With the latter, he wants to connect the examination of whether the reservoirs could be made suitable for aquaculture, thus alleviating “the struggle for marine quotas”. The discussion of this falls on the time of the Hungarian EU presidency – he added. István Nagy also mentioned that part of the Hungarian program is greater recognition of the pollinating role of bees in the EU regulatory system, which he called crucial in terms of maintaining biodiversity.

These are the priorities of the Hungarian presidency

The Hungarian presidency highlighted the need to draw attention to the management of crisis situations in the context of the negotiations on the rules of the common agricultural policy after 2027. He cited last year’s historic drought, the war in Ukraine and its consequences as examples. “We need answers to everything, new opportunities that we want to create during our presidency,” he declared. The Hungarian presidency also wants to emphasize agricultural research development and innovation initiatives that strengthen food security, as well as water management for agricultural and ecological purposes. With the latter, he wants to connect the examination of whether the reservoirs could be made suitable for aquaculture, thus alleviating “the struggle for marine quotas”. The discussion of this falls on the time of the Hungarian EU presidency – he added. István Nagy also mentioned that part of the Hungarian program is greater recognition of the pollinating role of bees in the EU regulatory system, which he called crucial in terms of maintaining biodiversity.

This is what the Spanish and Belgian Ministers of Agriculture said

Spanish Minister of Agriculture Luis Planas, the host of the meeting, said at the press conference: “a very intense period awaits us both from the point of view of community and domestic politics”. He reminded that parliamentary elections will be held in Spain this year and in the European Union next year. Emphasizing the common points, he said that the three countries are unitedly striving for a presidency that serves the progress of the union and its citizens, and agrees that the defining theme of the 18 months will be the issue of food security, the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the markets, and the drought affecting the whole of Europe. The first major objective of the Spanish presidency is the issue of agriculture that is more resistant to climate change, mapping out what tools and technologies are available to achieve this, the head of the ministry emphasized. In addition to the aforementioned common goals, Belgian Minister of Agriculture David Clarinval emphasized the evaluation of the effectiveness of animal health measures, the application of sectorial innovations to improve the quality of production, and finding a balance between the aspects of agriculture and environmental protection. Spain will take over the presidency of the EU in July this year, Belgium next January, and Hungary in the second half of 2024.

MTI