V4 Chambers of Agriculture Urge Brussels to Change Direction

Hungary Today 2024.06.25.

Radical change is needed in the European Union’s agricultural policy, otherwise the EU’s agriculture will face a hopeless situation, the V4 (Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia) chambers of agriculture stressed in a statement after their meeting.

As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, European farmers continue to face unpredictable conditions and livelihood difficulties, writes Világgazdaság. At the latest meeting of the Visegrad Group’s chambers of agriculture, they noted that production costs have risen sharply, small and medium-sized farms are facing serious existential problems, while uncontrolled Ukrainian and other third-country products are flooding EU markets. The leaders of the Czech, Polish, Slovak and Hungarian Chambers of Agriculture emphasized that farmers are in urgent need of substantial and rapid assistance, and the European Commission must activate the Common Agricultural Policy‘s crisis reserves. Farmers’ patience is running out, agriculture must be placed at the center of EU policy and given its strategic importance, it must be given priority, the statement underlined.

Protesting farmers. Photo via Facebook/Nemzeti Agrárgazdasági Kamara – NAK

The V4 chambers stress that the European Green Deal in its current form and timing has a serious negative impact on the competitiveness of agriculture.

Fact

The European Green Deal is attempting to tackle the negative climate, environmental and public health impacts of the European agrifood system in a comprehensive way by considering the entire food chain through a farm-to-fork approach. This approach aims to develop more sustainable agricultural systems through the adoption of agroecological practices, reduce food loss and waste, and promote healthier and more sustainable diets. A study by a public research institute has shown that while the priorities advocated by the European Green Deal seem justified from an environmental and public health perspective, the resulting economic challenges should not be trivialized. The researchers stress that action is needed not only at the final consumption stage to avoid a massive increase in imports, but also on the quality of the food on offer. In addition, livestock sectors and regions where livestock farming is the dominant agricultural activity will not be able to adapt on their own. Strong, targeted public support will be needed.

While member states receive roughly the same level of support as in 2014, farmers face rising production costs, a lack of market access and a loss of purchasing power for the population.

In the face of these difficulties, it is not possible to switch to more sustainable production.

Furthermore, accession negotiations with Ukraine must be preceded by a detailed analysis of the impact of accession on agriculture and the EU’s position in international trade.

The protection of the names of food of animal origin is also an important issue, as there is growing dissatisfaction among farmers and food producers in the EU with the labeling of food of plant origin. The V4 are pushing for EU-level protection not only for milk and dairy products, but also for other foods of animal origin (e.g. meat, meat products, fish, eggs, honey). The aim is that the labeling of plant products should not mislead consumers about their nutritional value.

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Via Világgazdaság; Featured image via Facebook/Nemzeti Agrárgazdasági Kamara – NAK