In a context of limited public resources, Europe’s young farmers welcome the creative elements put in the design of the measures proposed. Private storage aid (PSA), flexibilities on agreements for sectoral operators and market support programmes constitute an adequate short-term response for the most impacted sectors.
However, the dimension of the crisis EU agriculture is currently facing goes beyond what has been witnessed until now. Without stronger public support, we expect to see little uptake of the private storage aid and supply management flexibilities granted to private operators within the Common Market Organisation (CMO).
The resilience of our farming communities is severely impacted in the long-term. Young farmers, in particular, find themselves in complex situations, lacking the necessary liquidity and buffer to cope with disturbances, while installation processes have been interrupted.
Additionally, the large number of sectors affected constitutes a massive challenge for the current crisis management framework available within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), showing its insufficiencies.
With these elements in mind, CEJA calls decision-makers both at EU and national level to think out of the box to come up with innovative ideas allowing better management of the crisis. The Marshall Plan announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Charles Michel must also address the difficulties endured by the agricultural sector.
CEJA President Jannes Maes, reacting to the announcement, said: “In future, it will be essential to question ourselves on what should be the role of agriculture in the EU. If acknowledged as strategic, as it is the case at the moment across Europe, it should then be better reflected in the budgetary priorities put forward in the next Multiannual Financial Framework. Young farmers are expecting a CAP budget in line with the significant ambitions of this century.”
