More than 100 Hungarian farmers also demonstrated in Brussels

(Photo: Pixabay)

According to the statement, the nearly ten thousand-strong pan-European farmers’ demonstration was protesting, among other things, the planned withdrawal of EU agricultural funds and the free trade agreement being prepared with Ukraine and the South American Mercosur countries. The demonstration of the demonstrators, who came from twenty countries – including Hungary – was organized by the EU producer organization Copa-Cogeca and several European agricultural interest groups, including the National Chamber of Agriculture and the Association of Hungarian Farmers’ Circles and Cooperatives, they added. “Tempers are boiling across Europe, member states, including our country’s producers, are outraged. Together with farmers, we demanded a complete change of direction at today’s demonstration and we continue to demand it from the European Commission. We firmly protest against the Commission’s proposal published in June, according to which agricultural subsidies would be reduced by more than 20 percent in the 2028-2034 EU budget cycle and the independent EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) would be abolished. In contrast, it is justified to maintain the agricultural budget at least at its 2021-2027 level and to increase it in proportion to inflation, as well as to maintain the proven two-pillar structure of the CAP. In addition, it is unacceptable to reduce the area-based income support due to farmers, and the plan that farmers who have reached retirement age and receive old-age pensions will no longer be able to receive such support is also unacceptable” – they said in the statement. The European Commission plans to make decisions without thorough preparation, consultation with stakeholders, and impact assessments, which is unsustainable. We also demand that Brussels not conclude trade agreements with countries outside the EU that endanger European farmers and pose a food safety risk to consumers. Imports from Ukraine, Brazil, or Morocco are not expected to meet the food safety standards required by the EU, yet they are allowed onto the European market without inspection, they wrote.

MTI