Copa and Cogeca welcome the Commission’s proposal providing some derogations to the conditionality rules for the CAP but must put in question their effective contribution to alleviating the shortages and disruptions caused by the war in U kraine and the complex implementation.
The timing of the decision is certainly most welcomed as farmers and their agri-cooperatives needed urgent legal certainty regarding the rules to be applied from next year. Copa and Cogeca expect Member States to rapidly inform the Commission services of their choices concerning this decision, but also that the Commission approves, without much delay, the national CAP strategic plans so that the entire construction of the future CAP is completed in time for the necessary preparations by the sector.
Concerning the decision, Copa President Christiane Lambert stated, “It is fundamental that European farmers can contribute to alleviate the pressures on food security caused by the war in Ukraine by allowing them to produce more. However, the restrictions to cultivate maize, soya and short rotation coppice in fallow land don’t make any sense. In addition, I am concerned that the implementation of these derogations might become overly complex and not incentivise farmers to make use of them.”
Reflecting on the current market situation Cogeca President Ramon Armengol added, “While we appreciate the Commission’s willingness to provide certain derogations, it is unfortunate that these do not take into consideration the current market situation and do not provide sufficient incentive for farmers to produce more cereals and oilseeds to alleviate the shortages caused by the war in Ukraine.”
Artigo publicado originalmente em Copa Cogeca.