CEJA welcomed the recent decision of the Dutch Presidency to ask for suggestions from Member States in terms of potential measures to address the crisis and would like to reiterate the gravity of the current situation, particularly in animal production. It is imperative that a support package of funded measures is put together immediately at EU-level in order to limit the damage to Europe's farming industry across several sectors including dairy, pigmeat and fruit and vegetables.
In this context, CEJA calls for both short-term solutions (e.g. the extension of private storage aid across sectors and with increased flexibility) and structural solutions (e.g. the development of EIB financial instruments) in order to provide farmers with more security and stability. CEJA will be submitting a more detailed contribution on this matter to the Agricultural Markets Task Force appeal for input before 20 March.
CEJA President Alan Jagoe warned that "It would be catastrophic for European leaders to allow this crisis to worsen the demographic situation in the sector and put the EU family farming model at serious risk" and appealed for "consensus among Member States and swift action in order to limit long-term damage to the European farming sector."
