Gajdoš: European farmers expressed dissatisfaction with the reform of the EU long-term budget
Brussels – On the day the European Commission (EC) planned to present to the public the proposal for the long-term budget of the European Union (EU) for the years 2028 – 2034, European farmers from several member countries came to Brussels to protest again in front of the headquarters of the euro-institutions. The Slovak delegation was led by the chairman of the Slovak Agricultural and Food Chamber (SPPK) Andrej Gajdoš, reports TASR.
Several hundred dissatisfied farmers from various professional and trade associations marched from the European Parliament (EP) building to the EC headquarters, where a meeting of the college of commissioners on the multiannual financial framework (MFF) continued during the protest.
The main message of the farmers was the slogan “Food security is security,” meaning that security is primarily a strong and well-funded common agricultural policy, while posters called on the head of the Euro Commission not to divert from farmers through the budget.
Gajdoš emphasized to TASR that European farmers are fighting for a separate budget for farmers and food producers. He pointed out that according to leaked information from the preparation of the MFF, there is talk of merging funds for the agri-sector with the financial envelope for cohesion policy, and there is also a threat of abolishing the “two-pillar” structure of the common agricultural policy.
“The first pillar ensures some fair income for the farmer, and the second pillar covers rural development and the provision of agri-food services to the population,” Gajdoš explained. He added that the SPPK and farmers do not agree at all with the merging of pillars and even demand the establishment of a third pillar focused on risk funds for the agri-sector. “We are also concerned that the budget will be reduced. We have demanded its increase, at least due to inflation,” he specified.
In our opinion, this is the beginning of the end of the common agricultural policy
According to him, farmers also perceive the EC’s efforts to make part of the budget for the agri-sector under the decisive authority of each member state as risky, which would cause enormous inequality in the EU internal market. “In our opinion, this is the beginning of the end of the common agricultural policy, and we must speak out against it, and we are speaking out,” he stated.
He confirmed that the EC’s proposal on Wednesday is just the first step, as the European Parliament and the EU Council will negotiate the final form of the MFF until the end of 2027, which offers farmers the space to exert communication pressure on these institutions and promote their interests. He reiterated that the agri-sector is already communicating and addressing these issues with some governments and with EP members.
“We have already sent a letter to the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic stating that we do not agree with such a reform of the European budget. We realize that this is just the first draft from the European Commission, and our work is just beginning, difficult negotiations and explaining to politicians and officials why the budget must be strong and rather increased than reduced,” he stated. (July 16)
