Por Redaccion 
The European Commission has unveiled a series of measures this Wednesday to support the primary sector in Europe, responding to the demands of farmers and breeders with a ‘roadmap’ to make the sector more attractive by implementing measures to prevent producers from selling below cost price, reviewing new bans on the use of pesticides, and pesticides, and studying the coherence of the measures required for imports from outside the European Union.
As part of a set of measures framed within the ‘vision of agriculture and food’, Brussels nods to the complaints raised by breeders and farmers in line with the ‘simplification’ of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
«The sentiment was strongly expressed through demonstrations across Europe last year, even in Brussels, calling on the European Commission for dialogue and action,» acknowledged Executive Vice President Raffaele Fitto at a press conference in Brussels.
As indicated, this ‘roadmap,’ promised by Ursula von der Leyen for her first hundred days in office, contains a strategic action plan for the agricultural and food sector and represents a «firm response» to the request for assistance from European farmers.
BATTERY OF MEASURES TO SUPPORT PRODUCERS
Specifically, the European Executive promises measures so that farmers are not forced to systematically sell their products below production costs, which affects the entry of new workers into the sector.
Therefore, it will work on revising the directive on unfair commercial practices, while presenting a strategy to attract young people to the primary sector, considering it a problem that less than 12% of EU farmers are under 40 years old.
In addition, Brussels takes up the challenge of farmers and proposes that «the ambitious EU standards do not result in a competitive disadvantage» compared to third countries, so it will study measures for greater coherence in the rules regarding banned hazardous pesticides in the EU and in animal welfare.
Although it points out that strict food safety standards «remain a non-negotiable priority,» Brussels is committed to focusing on the conditions of livestock farming to «promote the long-term future of the sector.»
Against the backdrop of the debate on environmental standards implemented in recent years at the community level, Brussels acknowledges the need to «reconcile climate action with food security and the specific challenges» of rural areas. Thus, it proposes a reward system for breeders and farmers who adopt nature-friendly practices.
The European Commission commits to carefully study any new bans on the use of pesticides if alternatives are not available within a reasonable timeframe and says it will facilitate access to biopesticides in the EU market. As an incentive, it will develop a voluntary comparative assessment system to provide farmers with insights to measure and improve the performance of their farms.
Demographically, it will propose measures within the rural action plan to stabilize population in these areas and ensure they remain dynamic, practical, and have a cultural and heritage appeal.
In any case, Brussels lays out its vision on agriculture with these proposals as the first step to support the sector and maintain dialogue with producers to address their demands.