Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Maria Panayiotou highlighted the progress achieved during the Cyprus Presidency on issues concerning the future of European agriculture, support for farmers, and negotiations on the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Following the conclusion of the second day of the final Agriculture and Fisheries Council under the Cyprus Presidency, held in Luxembourg on 23 June, the Minister stated that over the past six months the Presidency had worked to strengthen the resilience, competitiveness and long-term sustainability of the European agricultural sector.
She noted that the work of the Cyprus Presidency focused on supporting farmers, enhancing food security, and keeping agriculture at the core of the European Union’s strategic autonomy at a time marked by climate pressures, market volatility and international uncertainty.
Referring to Tuesday’s Council meeting, the Minister said that the latest market developments and their potential implications for European agriculture were discussed. According to her, despite the overall resilience of EU agricultural markets, challenges related to input costs, extreme weather events and animal health issues remain.
She stressed that ministers agreed on the need to remain vigilant and ready to act whenever necessary.
The future of the Common Agricultural Policy after 2027 was also a central topic of discussion. According to Panayiotou, ministers exchanged views on the need to strike the right balance between greater flexibility for Member States and the preservation of the CAP’s common European objectives.
She underlined that the discussion highlighted the need for a simpler and less bureaucratic CAP that would allow farmers to focus more on production and less on administrative procedures.
The Minister noted that the future CAP should continue to support farm incomes, strengthen food security, ensure fair competition and take into account the differing needs of agricultural systems across Member States.
She also stated that the Cyprus Presidency is handing over the Council Presidency to Ireland, expressing confidence that the work initiated over the past six months will continue with the objective of building a more resilient, competitive and sustainable European agricultural sector.
Balance between common objectives and national specificities
During the press conference, the Agriculture Minister was asked to comment on the fact that proposed amendments would make certain CAP interventions optional for Member States.
In response, the Minister stated that the primary objective is to maintain a balance between common European objectives and the specific needs of member states.
She stressed that the CAP should remain a common policy for the entire European Union while also taking into account the different conditions and specific circumstances prevailing in each Member State.
(Source: CNA)
