Copa & Cogeca urge EU to step up efforts to solve bad agriculture situation

Hit by an unprecedented agricultural market crisis, Copa and Cogeca have urged the EU to step up efforts to solve the bad agriculture market situation when the issue is debated by EU Farm Ministers on Tuesday.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th May 2016, 11:41 BST
Updated 16th May 2016, 12:41 BST

Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen warned: “Despite measures agreed by the EU, the market situation has not improved. We have been hit badly by the Russian ban on farm exports which was our main destination for our exports. A priority for the EU must be to re-open this market.

“The EU Commission must also step up its efforts to find new export markets and boost promotion measures. Member States also need to ensure that aid from the package agreed last September is paid out as only a fraction has reached farmers until now.”

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Mr Pesonen went on to highlight the contribution agriculture and forestry make to fighting climate change.

“We are committed to making it work to help combat climate change. We welcome the Paris global climate deal which stresses that agriculture must adapt in a balanced way without jeopardizing food production. In the upcoming legislation on climate change, there consequently needs to be flexibility between the sectors included in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and non-Emissions Trading Scheme (non-ETS).”

Copa Vice-President Henri Brichart is set to press demands at a high-level meeting with the Dutch Presidency on Tuesday.