Belgium (Brussels Morning newspaper) A major new report voices optimism about the future of the troubled agricultural sector in Europe.
This is despite concerns voiced by farmers in the recent past that the industry attracted insufficient support at the national and EU levels.
The report, by the 29 members of the EU’s “Strategic Dialogue”, says that a “consensus can be built among key interests from across the whole agri-food chain.”
This, it goes on to say, can be done
“even in times of polarisation around the public debate on agri-food issues.”
The exhaustive report states,
“Maintaining this approach, by continuing to foster dialogue and mutual trust between different points of view can help to deliver lasting solutions for competitive, resilient, diverse and sustainable agri-food systems in the EU.”
Entitled “A shared prospect for farming and food in Europe”, the report presents an assessment of challenges and opportunities facing the sector, followed by a set of recommendations.
These suggestions aim to guide the work of the European Commission when shaping its “Vision for Agriculture and Food” to be delivered in the first 100 days of EC president Ursula von der Leyen’s second mandate.
The Commission says it will “closely assess” the report’s recommendations.
Professor Peter Strohschneider, Chairman of the Strategic Dialogue, said,
“After seven months of intensive work, the members of the Strategic Dialogue agreed on a shared conceptual consensus for the future of farming and food in Europe, through a new culture of mutual understanding and communication.
“These joint perspectives, agreed by a diverse and representative group of stakeholders in this sector, form a holistic and societal approach to addressing the EU’s environmental, climate, economic and socio-political goals.”
He added,
“It is my profound hope that the energy, ingenuity and collegiality of the Strategic Dialogue can be maintained for similar purposes in the future.”
