ICOS President Edward Carr was among over 50 farmer organization and co-operatives leaders to sign a letter to EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen highlighting concerns about EU trade policy and its potential impact on farming. The signatories are all members of COPA and COGECA.
The letter stated that the farming community is confronted with an unparalleled convergence of economic, climate, and social challenges, such as geopolitical instability, extreme weather events, unfair competition, higher production costs, lack of fair renumeration, and administrative burden.
It pointed out that in recent months, the optics on trade from the agricultural sector’s perspective have progressively worsened. Between being unjustifiably caught in the crossfire of trade tensions with China, the prospect of the dreaded Mercosur agreement being pushed forward, and the consequences of Russian invasion of Ukraine, farmers and agri-cooperatives seem to be the designated casualty.
The letter went on to point out that the Commission’s approach on trade has long been to balance the sensitivities of EU agriculture with the offensive interests of the sector on exports. And this not without success. Under such challenging circumstances, it is difficult not to look with dismay at the discrepancies and incoherence we fear on trade.
Pointing to the recently published Strategic Dialogue the it was highlighted in the letter that elevating the importance of the agricultural sector in the overall EU’s trade strategy and ensuring coherence between our internal and trade policies has been a major request by all participants.
Our sector is a key contributor to EU’s positive trade balance and holds the potential to deliver benefits not only for farmers and agri-cooperatives across the 27 Member States, but for EU economy and society at large. Nevertheless, this requires coherence. It is therefore key that the Commission shows clear strategic thinking and understanding for the farming sector and its complexities when it comes to trade policy. The Commission should also act coherently, without undermining the livelihood of millions of farmers, the competitiveness of agri-cooperatives, and the possibility of prosperous rural areas.
The COPA and COGECA letter also made it clear that agriculture must not be used as a bargaining chip in trade agreements!
In the case of the current on-going trade disputes with China, our sectors took decades to establish their presence on the Chinese market. After all the efforts made, they are now left to be the victims of their success. Therefore, we urge the Commission to do its utmost to lift this unjustifiable burden on producers. It is equally important not to accept an agreement with Mercosur that disregards the key concerns of famers on the divergence of production standards and on the cumulative effects on sensitive sectors. European farmers and agri-cooperatives will never endorse an imbalanced and environmentally detrimental trade agreement. European farmers
and their cooperatives understand the need of friends and alliances in these harsh international times. However, in our view, an agreement that jeopardies such a strategicsector as European agriculture does not make sense. The attractiveness of our sector for new generations and our family farming model is simply at stake!
In relation to a Mercosur agreement, COPA and COGECA made it clear to the EU Commission that it is a no-go zone for European farmers, due to the important differences in terms of ompetitiveness for some sectors.
Therefore, an agreement without sufficient compulsory commitment from Mercosur countries on standards linked to animal welfare, the use of medicines in animal production, climate, chemical treatment, and other environmental standards may cause European farmers to take to the streets again. And no amount would be enough to counterbalance the agreement on a deal that represents a threat to the competitiveness of our sector!
The letter to Ms. Von Der Leyen concluded, We want to continue to contribute to the EU’s leading position in agri-food trade and to turn challenges into opportunities, towards a more secure and prosperous future in Europe.
To be able to do this, we want an EU that supports the competitiveness and productivity of farms and agri-cooperatives, ensuring that trade delivers and does not become another burden to carry for our community. This can be done only with a coherent trade policy that recognises the strategic importance of our sector!