In another Council of European Ministers responsible for the fields of agriculture and fishing, where a number of crucial topics were discussed, Minister Anton Refalo stressed the importance of giving more targeted support to farmers in the at the same time that environmental and social results are promoted through financial incentives.
Regarding climate change and the impact it is having on farmers, the Minister reiterated that it is essential to implement robust preparation measures to protect livelihoods and ensure the sector’s resilience.
“We also believe that the aid given to the pork and chicken sector should be increased, due to the fact that they do not benefit from the same aids that are given to other sectors, and thus we believe that these sectors they should also be given specific help that addresses their particular needs, in order to remain competitive” repeated Minister Refalo.
The Minister stressed the importance of Member States having the necessary legal tools to allow effective and efficient ad hoc interventions, complemented by State aid. In fact he supported Germany’s proposal, which says that there should be an increase in the de minimis allocation for each undertaking and that there should also be an increase in the allocation of the de minimis amount that can be given by each State.
He concluded that we must be sensitive to the challenges facing both farmers and administrations, “and our main focus should be to ensure competitiveness and long-term sustainability for the farming sector through of a PAK that really works for the best result in the interest of all of us.”
Photo: MAFA
