At HGE10 the challenge of agricultural policy. The idea of a stronger EU commissioner

Brussels – Rethinking agricultural policy for food security, but also an immediate broader change of direction for the European Union, which is grappling with many challenges, none of which are simple, starting with enlargement and the prospect of Ukraine joining the European Union. The shift is indispensable and will need to take place from the next European legislature. This is the outcome of the 10th edition of ‘How can we govern Europe?’, organized by Withub with the editorial direction of Eunews and GEA.

“As Europe we are undergoing an unprecedented competitive onslaught, and unless we can change Europe we will not be able to respond to this competition,” said Luigi Scordamaglia, CEO of Filiera Italia and Director of Markets, European Policies and Internationalisation at Coldiretti. To respond to the double challenge of a growing population and production challenged by climate change and a Russian-Ukrainian conflict that has raised the issue of food security, “more output with advanced technology” is needed. For this we need the right measures, the right stimuli. “It is very important what you don’t have to do”, and in that sense “we must not shut down companies and burden them”. In a nutshell, “we want data and not ideological confrontation“. There is no shortage of criticism by the EU director and the now former executive vice-president for the Green Deal. “We are ready for any new legislation, but we want the numbers to be discussed. Timmermans used to tell us to be okay with the data at his disposal”.

Patrick Pagani, Senior Policy coordinator di Copa-Cogeca, suggests something else: reorganizing the College of Commissioners. To boost agricultural production and the competitiveness of the EU’s agribusiness, “we need a strong commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Policies, with the role of vice-president.” This is “one of the priorities for the next European legislature” after the June 6-9 elections. Another item on the to-do list is “a budget that is appropriate to the context.” This is a necessary condition since “we need more agriculture to put food security back at center stage.” In practice, “it means NRRP and structural funds, because there cannot be only state aid.” According to Pagani, there is no alternative. “Greater challenges, require more money. Synergies with funds and private involvement will be the key to the future”.

Data, no ideology, a new commissioner, and resources. But also rethinking agendas. Herbert Dorfmann (Fi/PPE), a member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, underlines, “the enlargement ahead is a great challenge.” Political, first and foremost. “I cannot imagine the entry of Ukraine without taking in also the Balkans. It is not politically credible.” But also agriculture and then trade. “There will be a big enlargement, and, in this context, the agricultural sector is the most difficult. I don’t think Ukraine will destroy European agriculture. If done right, Ukrainian enlargement is not a problem.” If anything, looking forward, with “Ukraine [within the EU] we should buy less corn from South America.” This latter aspect requires the Union to rethink its relations with the Mercosur countries, with which a free trade agreement is being negotiated that could be affected by scenarios of a different EU from the one we have now.

Other problems trouble the  Commission. “We have the issue of generational change,” notes Mihail Dumitru, deputy director general of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture (DG Agri). “We need to know how to attract young people, who are currently not attracted to the sector.” With the understanding that “our [primary] sector has to deal more and more with extreme weather events. We saw this again this summer, including droughts, fires, and floods.”

On the generational issue, there is attention and willingness of Camilla Laureti (Pd/S&D), a member of the Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament. “Today in Europe there are 12 percent of young people running farms. They are few, very few. We need to start taking action.” One idea the Social Democrat has is to “listen to those young people who want to pursue this path and help them. I’d like to think that the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will have a bigger slice for those already on this path.” Not to mention a ‘pink’ contribution to a sustainable agriculture to guarantee food security. “The entry of women into agriculture also helps us.” An outline of political action for the legislature to come.