From Sunday June 11 to Tuesday, June 13, the Minister for Agriculture, Didzis Šmits attended the informal meeting of the European Union (EU) Council of Agriculture and Fisheries l in Stockholm (Sweden) where Member States discussed the contribution of EU agriculture and forestry to food, feed, fiber and energy security and a long-term efficient bioeconomy in a climate-neutral world.
Sweden, as the Presidency of the EU Council, encouraged EU Member States to discuss possibilities and conditions for agriculture and forestry in promoting the Green Deal or green transition at the EU level, achieving long-term land use objectives and ensuring policy coherence. Latvia believes that the bioeconomy, given its important role in securing the Green Deal, should be in line with existing and future legislative initiatives. In order to ensure balanced territorial development and policy coherence, all relevant public groups, including EU institutions and European Commission (EC) committees and working groups, should be involved in the drafting of legislation, and Member States' experts should be fully informed on current EU initiatives. Only, taking into consideration the views provided it will be possible to avoid contradictions and to ensure a coherent decision-making and implementation.
“It is very important that the regional, economic, geographical, climate and environmental differences of each Member State of the European Union are taken into account in the formulation of different policies and legislation and in the definition of objectives,” Didzis Šmits, the Minister for Agriculture, recalled in the discussion. “The European Union has different regions of the bio-economy, and they tend to vary even in one country. We must be aware of this and make the most of the economic, social, energy, climate, environmental and societal potential of each particular area.”
Ministers for Agriculture, in Stockholm also discussed the means and policy instruments that are considered to be of the utmost importance for the implementation of the Green Deal in agriculture and forestry. Involving and informing the public is a very important element, Latvia believes, and the views of primary producers, farmers, foresters and non-governmental organizations must be taken into account. In order for primary producers to be the main providers of biomass and the main drivers of rural development in the long term, the competitiveness of primary producers needs to be strengthened while respecting environmental protection and climate aspects. Land use potential in the green transition will be implemented if research and innovation are strengthened, ensuring more efficient knowledge transfer in agriculture and forestry. The transfer of up-to-date technologies and ideas, based on scientific research into the Green Deal will be possible if we strengthen the availability of training and advisory services. However, the development of the bioeconomy, transition to a circular economy and production of goods with a high value added will not be possible without significant financial contributions.
The EU Ministers for Agriculture have repeatedly stressed the importance of bioeconomy in achieving the environmental and climate objectives of the European Green Deal. It is also noted that the bioeconomy is an integral part of the reformed Common Agricultural Policy. Latvia has welcomed the coherence of EU policy with bioeconomic policy, as well as the strengthening of the role of regions, local specificities and primary producers.