The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Acting, Luis Planas, has participated in the Council of Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries of the European Union, where the progress report has been discussed in relation to the legislative proposals of the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which has presented the Romanian Presidency.
Luis Planas has highlighted the important work carried out by the Presidency during this semester, which has made it possible to make significant progress in all the regulations of the reform. However, the minister considers it necessary to move forward in negotiations on the new Multiannual Financial Framework to reach a global agreement on the CAP.
During his speech, Planas thanked the Presidency for having collected several of the Spanish requests in their text proposals, such as the inclusion of the gender approach among the specific objectives of the CAP as a key element for the development of rural communities.
Looking ahead, "we will have to design the necessary elements of flexibility to be able to articulate this policy well", he added, and "to achieve that environmental ambition is consolidated, since it is a fundamental element". In this regard, it is positive that the role of the regional authorities is defined. It also understands that it is necessary to be "very clear" about the need to define the conditions under which it is possible to finance new irrigation, "always respecting the community regulations on waters".
In relation to the Regulation of the Common Organization of Markets, Planas has expressed the will to continue working to achieve greater legal security for self-regulatory actions in the markets. The minister has cited some aspects, such as updating the reference thresholds for certain products or the need for the criteria for granting new vineyard planting authorizations to be established in the strategic plans.
In the course of the Council, Planas has reported on the conclusions of the Conference on "Green architecture of the CAP post 2020: deepening in eco-schemes", celebrated in Zafra between May 29 and 31, with the participation of more than 170 participants from 16 member states. This conference addressed the role that eco-schemes can play to encourage agricultural and livestock practices that are beneficial for the climate and the environment.