The Agrarian Chamber of the Czech Republic warns against changes in the European agricultural budget
Prague – The Agrarian Chamber of the Czech Republic warns against changes in the European agricultural budget that could arise from the new multiannual financial framework of the EU. According to the chamber, there is already talk at the European level about fundamental adjustments – in addition to the amount of money, there is also a new way of distributing subsidies that will disrupt the architecture of the entire European agriculture, and thus also ensure people’s access to safe, sustainable, and affordable food. The Agrarian Chamber of the Czech Republic has therefore called in a letter to Prime Minister Petra Fiala and Minister of Finance Zbyňka Stanjuru (both ODS) to oppose changes in the structure and financing of the European agricultural budget. The chamber stated this today in a press release.
Protests against the planned reform of the European agricultural policy took place this May in Brussels. Representatives of farmers, considering the rising costs and demands arising from EU regulations, called for an increase in the European agricultural budget for the next period by at least 30 percent. If the European Commission does not meet these demands, the chamber cannot rule out further, more massive protest actions across Europe in the autumn.
The proposal for what the EU budget will look like for the period after 2027, the so-called multiannual financial framework, is expected to be published by the European Commission on July 16. The multiannual framework also includes the European agricultural budget, from which the shape of the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will subsequently derive, which is one of the main pillars of European integration. According to initial information from the Agrarian Chamber, there are to be fundamental changes in the budget. The money allocated for agriculture should now be part of a single fund, and its distribution would be decided by national states at their discretion. In practice, this would mean a loss of any European vision for the agricultural sector and a deepening of the differences between individual member states, the chamber stated.
The president of the chamber, Jan Doležal, pointed out that the CAP is a highly relevant tool for ensuring access to safe, sustainable, and affordable food across the continent, and any weakening of its financing means a factual resignation from fulfilling these goals. (June 30)
