The president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has been urged to use a key note speech this week to deliver a strong message to farmers across Europe particularly on agriculture and forestry.
European Commission President von der Leyen will deliver her 2023 State of the Union address on Wednesday (September 13).
This will be President von der Leyen’s last State of the Union address of her office term and will be closely watched to see what the main priorities and flagship initiatives will be for the year to come.
Copa and Cogeca has written an open letter to the president of the EU Commission, urging her to ensure that agriculture and forestry are highlighted in her key note speech which kick starts the political priorities for the commission’s annual work programme.
Copa president, Christiane Lambert and Cogeca president Ramon Armengol said they are “hoping for a strong message” to be sent to the farming community.
“The repeated absence of any mention of farmers, foresters and agri-cooperatives in this topical address has often disappointed our community and contributed to increasing the distance between Brussels and rural areas,” Copa and Cogeca stated in the letter.
It also noted many of the factors that have impacted on agriculture recently, such as the consequences of Brexit, inflation, energy, the Covid-19 crisis, and climate change.
“Farmers, foresters, and their cooperatives are on the move, and we’re looking for solutions at every level.
“Crucial issues are still on the table in this final stretch, whether it is the use of plant protection products, the place of new genomic techniques, animal welfare, the initiative on sustainable food systems or the conclusion of negotiations on the restoration of nature or industrial emissions,” the letter states.
According to the organisation, which represents farmers and agri-co-ops, the roadmap given to the new executive vice president in charge of the Green Deal, Maroš Šefčovič calls for more “intensive dialogue” with key stakeholders like forest owners and farmers.
Copa Cogeca has welcomed this roadmap, but said that EU policy makers “are going to have to move on from words to deeds”.
“Today we are defining our ability to ensure Europe’s food security and its strategic autonomy, while contributing to alleviating global food insecurity and our desire to see a renewal of the generations essential to maintaining our agriculture and rural areas”, the letter added.