Ane Barcos/Aquí Europa
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, has urged the EU Member States on Monday to conclude the agreement with Mercosur in a “prompt and balanced” manner, since it can open up new sales opportunities for community producers in the markets of the Ibero-American countries.
Upon his arrival at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg, Planas emphasized that a double balance must be achieved: on the one hand, a general balance for the European Union and, on the other, a balance within the agri-food sector, which allows the interests of European producers to be protected.
Planas also mentioned the “mirror clauses” that guarantee that imports respect the same production, environmental and social standards that apply within the EU, to ensure fair competition. “This concept is already gaining ground in some community documents,” he said.
The minister also focused on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), highlighting its importance for food supply and the strategic autonomy of the European Union. He stressed that the next CAP, which will be launched in 2028, must be well funded and mentioned that support for farmers’ incomes is crucial, especially for small and medium-sized producers. He also highlighted the need to improve climate and market crisis management mechanisms, proposing that these be strengthened at European level.
On fisheries, he mentioned the importance of strictly applying the Common Fisheries Policy, considering both the economic and social impact. Regarding ICCAT, he indicated that Spain supports not reopening discussions on bluefin tuna quotas until 2025, and defended maintaining the current bigeye quota, as well as supporting a multiannual management plan for daffodil in the Atlantic. Planas spoke about the revision of the directive on unfair commercial practices, partly inspired by Spanish legislation, and the importance of making progress in animal health, mentioning efforts to develop vaccines, such as those related to bluetongue and bovine tuberculosis.
