Fallow land, Ukraine… The European Commission gives guarantees to farmers before the European Council on Thursday
The European Commission proposed on Wednesday morning to grant a partial exemption from fallow obligations in the European Union and to intervene to limit any uncontrollable increase in Ukrainian agricultural imports, offering guarantees to farmers protesting across Europe.
“Farmers put our food on the table. In times of difficulty, we find common solutions”assured the president of the European executive, Ursula von der Leyen, who will meet Thursday with the French president, Emmanuel Macron.
Regarding Ukrainian products, the Commission wants “safeguard measures” reinforced limiting the impact of their imports in European countries. For products “sensitive” – poultry, eggs and sugar – one “emergency brake” is planned for “stabilize” imports at average volumes imported in 2022 and 2023, levels beyond which customs duties would be reimposed.
Concerning the fallow obligations prescribed by the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for farms of more than 10 hectares, the European Commission has granted “partial exemption” for 2024. Farmers will be able to benefit from CAP aid even if they do not have 4% fallow, provided however that they reach 7% of intermediate or nitrogen-fixing crops (lentils, peas, etc.) without use of phytosanitary products.
” Finally ! Faced with climatic and geopolitical disruptions, the lack of availability of cereals is recognized », in time for sowing, greeted Christiane Lambert, president of COPA-Cogeca, the organization of the majority European agricultural unions. The French Minister of Agriculture, Marc Fesneau, welcomed, for his part, “a simple and pragmatic solution that combines transition and production”.