The future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was at the heart of the meeting of the commission for natural resources (NAT) of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR). In the lead-up to a pivotal opinion on the topic set for adoption at the upcoming plenary session, local and regional leaders discussed the current state of agriculture in Europe and presented their priorities to Professor Peter Strohschneider, Chair of the Strategic Dialogue on agriculture launched by the European Commission.
Professor Peter Strohschneider, Chair of the Strategic Dialogue on the future of agriculture, shared with NAT members the state-of-play of the ongoing discussions within the dialogue. Local and regional leaders provide concrete suggestions in their opinion on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), led by co-rapporteurs Piotr Całbecki (PL/EPP), President of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region and Isilda Gomes (PT/PES). The opinion will be officially adopted at the next plenary session of the CoR, on 19 June.
Professor Strohschneider declared that the Strategic Dialogue is developing a systemic approach to the food and agricultural sector. Citizens and stakeholders’ voices are being heard with the aim of reaching consensual recommendations to reconcile agriculture and nature conservation.
Local and regional leaders welcome the first lines dressed by the Strategic Dialogue, such as the inclusion of young farmers and the simplification of administrative procedures, but demand a greater shift in the CAP to meet farmers’ interests.
Piotr Całbecki said "Our opinion contains a collection of recommendations and guidelines, addresses the needs of farmers from across EU regions and takes into account the functioning of family-owned, small, and medium-sized farms, the role of cohesion funds for the development of rural areas and the involvement of the representatives of European farmers and local and regional authorities in the reform of CAP."
"I am glad that we managed to develop an opinion beyond political divisions thanks to the the active participation of a vast number of stakeholders and meetings with hundreds of farmers. The newly elected members of the European Parliament will receive our opinion immediately after their appointment, to seek support for our recommendations on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy." continued the rapporteur.
The results of the second consultation of the CoR’s Regional Hubs Network (RegHub), highlighting regional experiences in implementing and evaluating CAP strategic plans, were also presented in this context. The report emphasises the need for simplified procedures, reduced bureaucratic burdens, and greater flexibility in accommodating regional specificities within the Strategic Plans. Key recommendations include increased regionalisation of the CAP and establishing direct communication channels with the European Commission. These findings reinforce long-standing demands of the CoR.
Finally, members of the NAT discussed cooperation between the CoR and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The director of the FAO liaison office in Brussels, Raschad Al-Khafaji presented a project on delivering a total of 1,500 tonnes of animal fodder in the Gaza Strip to safeguard the resilience of local food production and agriculture amidst the imminent risk of famine.