For agriculture in 2030 we want a more ambitious and courageous PAC. Safeguarding farmers' income is essential
"There is no environmental sustainability without social and economic sustainability": Minister Teresa Bellanova reiterated a few minutes ago from the Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers from Brussels, speaking in the discussion on the European Green Deal in relation to the Pac Post 2020 .
“Green Europe,” said Bellanova, “is an opportunity not to be missed. And I want to say it forcefully here too: quality agriculture, the production of quality food, are part of the solution. Agriculture means defending ecosystems and biodiversity, we must support it: Green Deal and post 2020 Pac must give concrete answers and tools for the future. Not new bureaucracy but promotion of economic, environmental and social practices ".
"Precisely for this reason, the Italian Minister stressed," we want an ambitious and more courageous CAP for agriculture in 2030. The CAP reform proposal must be truly attentive to the income of farmers and businesses. Greater commitment must mean more resources, consistent with the unprecedented efforts that we ask farmers to protect the environment ".
"Italy is ready to do its part", continued Bellanova, "indicating as a priority the circular economy, the fight against food waste, the fight against new plant diseases, the balance between supply and environmental sustainability, transparency in supply chain relationships and balance in the chain of value. The Unfair Practices Directive is an important step. Now transparency must be ensured on the labels. European citizens have the right to know the origin of the raw material of all foods. We expect courageous answers on this ”.
Going into the merits of the issues posed by the Presidency, Bellanova then underlined how the package of proposals for the post 2020 CAP already contains concrete answers to the requests for sustainable development put forward by the European Commission, with the Green Deal, for climate neutrality to 2050.
“The interventions in favor of the climate and the environment”, he specified, “must be accompanied by more incisive tools for the resilience of agricultural enterprises. Green Deal and the CAP reform proposal consider mitigation measures to climate change but devote little space to adaptation measures, while the agricultural world, precisely because it is strongly subject to the effects of climate change more than other productive sectors, needs greater support to remain competitive ".
Furthermore, the Minister invited the European Social Fund, for training aspects, and the European Regional Development Fund, on organizational aspects, cooperation between subjects, to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the From Farm to Fork Strategy which is imminent. interconnection of databases, renewable energy.
As for risk management, Minister Bellanova concluded, “the CAP reform proposal must be improved. Precisely for this reason, in order to face catastrophic climate and phytosanitary crises, we asked for the activation of a mutualisation fund on the first pillar ”.