Today, the INTA Committee voted on the renewal of the ATMs for Ukraine. Despite legitimate concerns and protests, MEPs have decided not to support even limited amendments that would have made this proposal a real compromise. Just a few weeks after all the EU political parties took the floor to praise and support European farming, their votes are falling short to show a real sense of concern for our agriculture!
Whilst the needed support to Ukraine is never to be put in question, the farming community, and in particular the affected producers in the sensitive sectors of cereals, sugar, poultry, eggs, and honey, are being asked to carry the disproportionate burden of this trade liberalisation. Deciding to ignore the amendments, even of its own MEPs, by not proposing at least the adjustment to the reference period, which would have shown some level of understanding, the Committee has decided to have none.
As we have repeatedly pointed out over the last few months, the consequences regarding the renewal of Ukraine’s ATMs are of paramount strategic significance and will have profound consequences.
The MEPs and political parties should not expect the farming community’s understanding that due to procedural and time aspects, their concerns and asks are being ignored. While there are certainly additional responsibilities from the European Commission’s side for publishing this proposal so late, when the calendar of this year was well known, there is no excuse for so blatantly ignoring the concerns of the farming community, as well as those expressed by MEPs in COM AGRI.
With all eyes now on the MEPs and their actions during the next plenary in Strasbourg, it won’t be acceptable that there aren’t any final amendments to the proposal. Hence, we once again call for a real show of support and understanding, that doesn’t stop at words!
On behalf of the following associations:
AVEC – Association of Poultry Processors and Poultry Trade in the EU countries
CEFS – European Association of Sugar Manufacturers
CEPM – European Confederation of Maize Production
CIBE – International Confederation of European Beet Growers
COPA-COGECA – The united voice of farmers and their cooperatives in the European Union
EUWEP – European Union of Wholesale with Eggs, Egg Products, Poultry and Game
Fonte: Copa Cogeca
