EU Commissioner: it must be ensured that the agri-food sector remains competitive

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In the discussion about sustainable and fairly remunerated EU agriculture, Sefcovic said: Europe can be proud of its agri-food sector, which not only guarantees good quality food for 450 million Europeans and millions outside Europe. However, he pointed out that the global market, characterized by climate change, the loss of biodiversity, the increasing scarcity of resources, price shocks and increasingly fierce competition, has a huge impact on the agricultural sector and rural communities. “We could see from the farmers protesting on the streets of Europe that many feel trapped because their earnings do not meet their needs. That is why we must act to ensure the future of the sector, where agriculture and nature conservation go hand in hand and are in balance,” he pointed out.

As he said, the EU has launched the strategic dialogue for this purpose, in which EU-level associations and organizations participate, including umbrella organizations representing several European groups. The EU Commissioner emphasized that the first priority should be to ensure the standard of living for farmers and rural communities. “We need to discuss how to exploit the huge opportunities offered by knowledge and technological innovation and promote a prosperous future for the EU’s food system in a competitive world,” he added. He emphasized that the EU budget continues to support agricultural producers through the common agricultural policy, but at the same time, he added, this money alone is not enough to solve the challenges and deal with climate change. “Farmers know what they are doing and it is our job to support them in their green transition by extending all the good practices used in agriculture. Our farmers deserve a fair living. And this is only possible if we work together to achieve our climate and biodiversity goals” – said the EU Commissioner.

MTI