AgriMin Oros: EU's CAP budget stands below level required for current period

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget of the European Union stands below the level required for the current period, despite the latest improvement proposals, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Adrian Oros said within a videoconference of EU agriculture and fisheries ministers, organised by the Croatian Presidency of the EU Council.

According to a release of the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry sent to AGERPRES on Tuesday, farmers should observe the new rules and obligations, deriving from the new CAP reform, Adrian Oros said.

Furthermore, the Agriculture Minister argued that important progress has been made regarding the CAP reform package post-2020 and said that Romania is expected to progress sufficiently at technical level and in terms of policies, during the German Presidency, in order to establish a new agreement on the final texts, in parallel with agreeing a new Multiannual Financial Framework, which can ensure adequate funding for farmers.

"In the context of the CAP reform, taking into account the Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027, I believe that the transition period should be of two years, taking into account the stage of negotiations, as well as the two strategies 'From farm to consumer' and the one regarding biodiversity," Adrian Oros said.

Regarding the Common Market Organisation, the Romanian Agriculture Minister conveyed the opportuneness of doubling the commitments proposed by the Commission of a flexible framework and current needs which producers are confronted with at European level, the release mentions. Moreover, Oros also reiterated the need to activate some support mechanism for the pork and poultry sectors, which have been strongly affected by the pandemic.

In respect to the adoption of CAP reform, the Agriculture Minister said it is necessary to have in mind the continuation of external convergence in order to establish equitable competition conditions between European farmers,
a voluntary system of capping direct payments to allow member states to take the most appropriate decision for their specific conditions, to continue coupled support for struggling sectors, to maintain transitional national aid at 50 percent, according to the document.

In respect to fishing, Secretary of State with the Agriculture Ministry Gheorghe Stefan welcomed the European Commission's initiative and guidelines for 2021, reiterating the standpoint adopted in previous meetings, starting from the reason had in mind regarding the impact of fishing the national fleet over stocks in the Black Sea, which should be assessed in close correlation with the size of the fleet.