Ursula von der Leyen's new path
starts where it left off: extending a hand to farmers to ease
their discontent.
Against the backdrop of the Agrifood Days in Brussels and just
days after the signing of the controversial EU-Mercosur
agreement in Montevideo, the President of the European
Commission announced two new proposals to protect the sector
from the pressure of large-scale retailers, ensuring small farms
a fair profit margin.
Mandatory written contracts, strengthened rules against unfair
commercial practices, and mediation channels between farmers and
large retailers are the new measures set to be unveiled in the
coming hours.
These provisions were "well received" by Italy's Minister of
Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, as "a first signal in
response to the many demands that European farmers have brought
forward to regain the central role they deserve as custodians of
the land and guarantors of food quality."
"Farmers are often the weakest link in the chain and sometimes
have no choice but to sell their products below production
costs. This cannot be the case," von der Leyen remarked,
outlining measures aimed at strengthening "the role of farmers
in negotiations with those who set the prices."
These proposals, which the German leader had promised in recent
months, aim to follow up politically on the Strategic Dialogue
on the Future of the Sector, as Brussels seeks to calm
tensions—particularly heightened in France following the rift
over the Mercosur deal. The measures anticipate the Vision on
the Future of Agriculture, scheduled to be unveiled on February
19, which is expected to include concrete measures for income
support.
According to Lollobrigida, this European action is evidence that
"something is changing" in Brussels and Europe, and "a new
framework is emerging."
These "first steps" in the right direction were also endorsed by
Coldiretti and Filiera Italia as a response to farmers' demands,
following the widespread protests that shook Europe in recent
months. "President von der Leyen's words are encouraging, but we
are waiting for action," was the initial reaction from the
president of Confagricoltura, Massimiliano Giansanti.
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