Source: AFP
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Friday unveiled a new series of concessions to EU farmers, especially those on smaller properties, in a bid to quell ongoing protests in the sector.
The measures aim to “further lighten the administrative burden” and ease compliance with some environmental rules that farmers face when receiving money from the bloc’s subsidy program, von der Leyen told Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in a phone call, a statement said. of the Commission.
The changes affecting the EU’s subsidy programme, known as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), were formally proposed on Friday night.
Farmers in Poland, which has a particularly large agricultural base, have complained about farm imports from war-torn Ukraine, which they say have been below prices for their own produce.
Protests by farmers have also taken place in recent weeks in other countries, including Belgium, France, Spain and Italy over a litany of burdens they say are reducing incomes.
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Von der Leyen told Tusk that the proposed changes would “implement certain standards in a way that is more compatible with the daily reality that farmers face on the ground”.
For example, one would exempt farms under 10 hectares (25 acres) from controls and penalties linked to the terms of the CAP.
Another would exempt farmers from having to keep part of their land fallow, although they would still have incentives to do so — a measure von der Leyen’s commission had already announced last month.
“The commission’s proposals are a direct response to requests received from farmers’ organizations inside and outside Poland,” the statement said.
He added that the EU is also considering expanding sanctions on Russia to include restrictions on Russian farm imports.
The proposed changes to the CAP still need to be negotiated between EU member states and the European Parliament.
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![](https://images.yen.com.gh/images/ea195155b45dce34.jpg?impolicy=cropped-image&imwidth=256)
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The concessions come just three months before pan-European elections for the European Parliament that polls predict will lead to a surge in support for far-right parties that are using farmers’ discontent as part of their campaign.
Environmental NGOs however denounced the plans.
WWF’s Anu Suono said that “blindly abandoning environmental measures will not appease farmers suffering from unfair prices and the climate emergency”.
Source: AFP