Monday June 8, at an informal videoconference of the EU Council of Ministers for Agriculture and Fisheries, the Ministers from Member States discussed agricultural aspects of the strategies of the European Commission “Farm to fork” and “EU Biodiversity strategy.
Kaspars Gerhards, the Minister for Agriculture emphasized at the discussion: “The new climate and environmental objectives set up by the European Commission are very ambitious and the process of achievement of these objectives will have a considerable impact on the sector of agriculture and food industry. Unfortunately, we still do not see any progress toward equalization of direct payments among Member States, as a result, Latvia is still receiving the lowest level of direct payments. Therefore, the main challenge in ensuring that the new environmental and climate objectives are met, is providing an adequate funding and equal distribution of this funding among Member States.”
The Minister also pointed out that in the EU Common Agricultural Policy of the next programming period after 2020 the EU support measures as well as eligibility and performance conditions must conform to the actual situation in Member States. Namely, Member States must have more freedom of action in decision making on investments of the EU financing in agriculture.
The strategy “Farm to fork” is aiming at a more wholesome and sustainable food system in the EU, providing the EU inhabitants with healthy, reasonably priced and sustainable food at the same time protecting the environment and maintaining biological diversity, restricting climate changes and creating a fair economic return on the supply chain. The EU Biodiversity strategy” offers a reform plan to address the biodiversity crisis by conserving and restoring nature. Each of the strategies has milestones marked to be achieved by 2030.