MAGAZINE - Copa-Cogeca

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2 │ April 2012 CONTENTS • Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General talks on EU Trade Policy................................................. 3 • Copa President Gerd Sonnleitner presents new Copa-Cogeca detailed reaction to EU commission proposals on CAP post-2013, highlighting measures to ensure food security, productivity, sustainable growth and employment........................................ 4 • Chairman of Copa-Cogeca working party on promotion policy Mr Jochum Broadly welcomes new EU commission plans on future promotion policy and highlights need for good budget.......................................... 5 • MEP LA VIA warns final decision on CAP could be held up by EU budget talks........... 6 • Copa-Cogeca welcomes Ciolos move to create high level group on wine planting rights but warns it must not delay proposals to keep planting rights in sector ................ 7 • Euro Coop highlights benefits of principles of good practice in food chain and events scheduled for international year of cooperatives............................................... 8 • Many aspects of future EU rural development policy proposals welcomed but serious concerns over IFA review, Peter Pascher chairman of commission advisory group “rural development” stresses........... 9 • Falkenberg claims currently looking into applying at international level same high EU production and environmental standards to imports and stepping up controls............. 11 • Interview with Danish Agriculture Minister Mette Gjerskov on greening and the EU Commissions' future Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) proposals.............................. 12 • In International Year of Cooperatives 2012, Cogeca President Paolo Bruni highlights crucial role cooperatives play in market place and outlines events for 2012 .......... 15 • Copa-Cogeca calls for private storage aid for olive oil to be opened and for long-term strategic plan for sector............................ 16
April 2012 │ 3 Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen talks on EU Trade Policy Negotiations are also continuing between the EU and India for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Such an agreement would benefit the EU dairy, poultry, cereals and oils sectors but we have defensive interests on rice (in the EU we produce only 65% of the rice we consume and we import around 1.3 million tonnes of rice per year). The two sides have not however exchanged offers on agriculture yet and an agreement was postponed in February. With little progress being made in the Doha round of World Trade Negotiations, the EU Commission is pressing ahead with negotiating bilateral trade liberalising agreements. But Copa- Cogeca urges the EU to properly assess the socio-economic impact of the deals . We were very disappointed about the recently agreed trade liberalising deal between the EU and Morocco, set to apply from May 1, as it will have a drastic effect on the EU fruit and vegetables sector, particularly tomatoes. A socio-economic impact assessment should have been carried out first by the EU Commission, before going ahead with such a deal. It will jeopardise thousands of jobs in EU rural areas which have already been seriously affected by the economic crisis. Imports from Morocco also do not have to meet the EU’s high production standards which is a major concern for us. This agreement will dramatically increase the positive trade balance already in Morocco’s favour and have a disastrous impact on employment in EU rural areas. I nevertheless welcome the fact that European Parliament made some slight improvements to the agreement, such as changes to the EU system of controls and safeguards for imports from Morocco which have proven to be ineffective in the past. I urge the EU Commission to ensure that these controls and safeguards are properly enforced, to prevent the market from being severely disrupted. The Commission must also work on the entry price system and manage the monthly quota properly. Trade liberalising talks are also continuing between the EU and Latin American Trade bloc Mercosur, which if agreed, would have a severe impact on the EU agriculture sector, notably on meat producers. Based on demands made by the Mercosur countries in 2006, a study carried out by Copa-Cogeca reveals that there would be losses to the EU agriculture sector of up to 13 billion euros. And this does not even look at the impact on employment in EU rural areas where job losses are likely to be huge given that the EU agri-food sector provides for 40 million jobs in EU rural areas. Little progress has however been made recently in the talks. Negotiations were also launched between the EU and Canada in 2009 and trade liberalisation for the majority of products is foreseen, with an agreement expected at the earliest by the end of the year. If a deal is reached, it would benefit the EU wine and dairy sectors. Copa-Cogeca is also keen to launch an ambitious FTA with Japan at the EU-Japan Summit at the end of May. You can find the Commissions response to some of our concerns on trade policy in this magazine as well as read about our newly agreed position on the Commissions’ proposals on the future of the CAP. The future of EU rural development policy and of EU promotion policy are also put under the spotlight. In addition, our demands to maintain planting rights in the EU wine sector are highlighted. We very much hope that you enjoy reading the magazine and take on board our views.
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