MAGAZINE - Copa-Cogeca

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12 │ April 2012 Interview with Danish Agriculture Minister Mette Gjerskov on greening and the EU Commissions' future Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) proposals What business opportunities do you believe can come from a further greening of the CAP and how can it be made worthwhile for farmers and their cooperatives, especially livestock farmers What examples can we learn from Denmark I believe that we need a greener and sustainable Europe and farmers play an important role in achieving this. In the future, there will be increasing competition for natural resources as land and water which also will affect livestock production. We must learn to produce more from less as well as ensure a sustainable use of the resources throughout the supply chain. A greener CAP can support a more sustainable production. And the agri-food sector can enjoy new business opportunities from this. Ultimately it will enhance the farmer's role as environment keeper and provide the farmer with new earnings such as supplier of renewable energy. There is great potential for the sector to supply renewable energy by using residual products for the production of 2nd generation bioenergy. In Denmark we also have an interesting example of a new earning which at the same time is a new solution to some challenges in the health sector: mucosa from pigs are used to avoid embolus. I think the main focus on the reform is to ensure that we get further reel greening of the agricultural sector and that this is achieved in an economical sustainable way. Member States in general support a greener focus in the agricultural policy. But the crucial point for all will be that the framework for the future greening allows farmers and Member States to handle the new challenges in a cost effective way. In a time of economic crises, the Agriculture and Fisheries Council has an obligation to ensure that the future CAP – holding 40 pct of the EU-budget – contributes in paving a way out of the crisis. Copa-Cogeca believes that the Commission proposals to impose further mandatory environmental constraints on farmers and apply the same 3 measures acrossthe-board to 13 million EU farms is not the best way to achieve environmental benefits and will, at the same time, increase farm costs, reduce production and have a negative impact on farmers' already low incomes. Copa-Cogeca is therefore calling for the CAP to focus on measures which ensure green growth in the future: measures which benefit the environment at the same time as maintaining production capacity, efficiency and employment. Do you agree with Copa-Cogeca views On the food chain, do you believe that Commission proposals to extend the product coverage for recognition of POs is a step in the right direction What other measures do you think are needed to improve farmers and cooperatives positioning in the food chain What reactions have so far been given by Ministers on this and what kind of result do you see emerging on this In the Council - I think I can safely say this - we are all concerned about the functioning of the food supply chain. Not to forget though - that as many different agriculture and production structures there are in
April 2012 │ 13 the EU, as many different opinions there are on this issue. The Commission has also made several attempts to address this – for instance by setting up the High Level Forum for a better functioning food supply chain. I am a member of the Forum and I value the efforts to improve the functioning of the food supply chain. It is good that business organisations as Copa-Cogeca are also represented in the Forum as you actually represent actors in the food chain. I believe that balance in the food chain is best achieved when the initiative to cooperate comes from the market actors themselves. And in general, I believe that it is important that we do not create administratively or economically burdensome solutions but rather solutions that are efficient and create results. Above all, I find it very important that we do not impose mandatory solutions before we have identified whether there is a problem and considered any unintended side-effects solutions might create on the functioning of the internal market or the free competition. It is central that we provide the best possible policy framework for farmers and business to produce sustainably in both an economic, environmental and social sense. What do you think of the EU Commissions Rural Development Policy proposals and what kind of picture is emerging on this from Ministers I believe the Commission’s proposal on the Rural Development policy has been a good starting point for our ongoing discussions. However, it is clear that many Member States wish for a more simple framework, both from an administrative perspective, and for the beneficiaries of the different rural development schemes. On the same line, it is my impression that Member States would like to see a framework regulation with more flexibility to programme funds towards regional and/or local challenges. As opposed to the direct payments, the RDP is intended to support targeted initiatives. As the EU has expanded to 27 Member States, the challenges that the individual countries face will obliviously vary. I especially believe the instruments for environmental measures needs to be strengthened and it should be possible to support the implementation of other policies, such as the Water Framework Directive and Natura 2000. Further, we need to make the next RDP future proof. Europe is in a transitional phase, where we have to prepare our economies for the future challenges in a globalised world economy. Therefore the new RDP should contain enough flexibility and vision to support a green transition of the European economies. This would benefit both the environment, job creation and growth. What sort of proposals do you want or expect to see from European Parliament on the future CAP, especially concerning greening It is difficult to predict, but I think there will be a call for more flexibility for Member States compared to the present proposal. When do you think an agreement can be reached on the CAP reform package It is very difficult to predict when we will reach an agreement but most likely during the Irish Presidency. For the first time an agricultural reform will also depend on the process in the European Parliament. This is decisive and at the same time new to us in the Council for agriculture –and it will of cause influence the decision process. One thing is sure – we are working very hard on making progress on the reform proposals in order to advance as quickly as possible.
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