BRUSSELS, Oct 21 (KUNA) -- EU Agriculture Ministers agreed in a meeting of the Council of Agriculture and Fisheries held Monday in Luxembourg to adopt a set of measures aimed at supporting the recovery of the agricultural sector in post-crisis context and enhancing its competitiveness in global markets.
They also emphasized the need for urgent support for farmers affected by natural disasters.
The ministers called for a new direction for the common European agricultural policy that should be "farmer-focused, competitive, crisis-proof, sustainable and knowledge-based." Several EU member states are in fact concerned about the impact of EU policies on small fishermen and farmers.
The ministers also criticized the EU funding cuts that could improve the position of farmers in the food supply chain and protect them from "unfair trading practices." They called for simplified funding procedures to make the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) more accessible for farmers.
During their meeting, the ministers discussed key issues surrounding fisheries management for 2025, fishing quotas in the Baltic Sea, reaching a political agreement on fishing limits, and preparing for the upcoming meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
They also deliberated on the CAP focused on farmers post-2027 and addressed the main challenges facing the EU food supply chain along with trade-related agricultural issues.
The European Commission has established common rules through the common fisheries policy to manage fish resources sustainably while ensuring access to affordable, healthy food.
The new EU policy will reduce the maximum catch limit by 36 percent compared to 2024. (end) arn.mb