CAP reform a lost opportunity to protect environment, small farmers and deliver food sovereignty

Left MEPs say reforms fail to bring changes that will improve the quality of life for struggling small and medium farmers and start an environmentally-friendly transition of Europe’s agriculture. 

“This reform doesn’t make it possible to respond to the key challenges – to improve the quality of life for small and medium farmers suffering so much” French MEP Patrick Le Hyaric told the European Parliament this morning during a debate on the latest reform of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

“It’s the law of the jungle of the world market that will continue to dictate prices with only a minimal safety net for farmers,” he said calling for extra supports for young farmers and highlighting decisions on dairy policy that “will intensify milk production to the detriment of small producers”.

“We need to start a process of transition to environmentally-friendly and climate-friendly agriculture with sustainable management of resources. We need new incentives for farmers who are working for all of society. This reform is a missed opportunity to promote a farmer-friendly form of agriculture to provide better food quality and security as well as food sovereignty.”

“My political group is dissatisfied with financial reductions for the Common Agricultural Policy for 2014-2020 and with the fact that the Commission ignores previously achieved agreements on variety of issues” said Latvian MEP Alfreds Rubiks.

“We think that the Commission proposal to freeze the finances for 2014-2020 at 2013 levels will prove insufficient to fund existing priorities for the Common Agricultural Policy. My political group will vote against the cuts for CAP, as we want quality food for all in the EU. We need to find money for that.”

“This path of liberalization and deregulation is far removed from that which should be the first objective of agricultural policy: to ensure sustainably, in every country, food security and sovereignty,” said Portuguese MEP João Ferreira.

“We seek an alternative path, arguing for an end of the scandalous inequalities in direct payments between countries and producers by 2020 – inequalities that persist with this reform. We defend a market regulation capable of ensuring fair prices for production and advocate regulatory instruments of production, adjusted to the needs of each country. Nothing ends here. We will continue, alongside thousands of farmers and their organisations, the indispensable struggle for a radical CAP reform.”

GUE/NGL Press:

David Lundy +32 470 85 05 09

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European United Left/Nordic Green Left

European Parliamentary Group