Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen, is in Malta as part of his commitment to tour all Member States in 2025 to discuss the future of agriculture and understand the different agricultural challenges across the EU.
In Attard, he will exchange with the Maltese Agriculture Consultative Council on the Commission’s proposal for the new Common Agricultural Policy (2028-2034) and the agricultural challenges faced by Maltese farmers. Following this, he will meet Robert Abela, Prime Minister of Malta, to further discuss the future of agriculture.
He will then attend the inauguration of the Food Safety and Security Authority of Malta. This national authority will be the unified body for matters of food security, overseeing food safety and supply chain security across the Maltese Islands. It will closely cooperate with the European Commission and the European Food Safety Authority, ensuring public health, sustainable food systems and consumer trust.
In the afternoon, accompanied by Anton Refalo, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights, the Commissioner will visit a dairy farm in Swieqi, in Eastern Malta. Once a family farm, this typical Maltese dairy farm is now run by a young dairy farmer, supported by EU funds. With its upcoming strategy for Generational Renewal in Agriculture foreseen for 21 October, the Commission will tackle the barriers that young farmers face, including access to land, skills, financing and opportunities to thrive in rural areas. Through this strategy, alongside the Vision for Agriculture and Food, the Commission works to boost the agri-food sector’s attractiveness to encourage future generations to take up farming.
