Spain: call for a robust European budget for the agricultural and fisheries sector

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luís Planas, defended before the Spanish Congress the need to maintain a Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) with an adequate budget to guarantee the future of European agriculture and livestock. Planas emphasized that the European Commission's proposal could reduce the budget by between 15 and 22 percent, which would affect the structure and effectiveness of the CAP. He highlighted the importance of maintaining the traditional two-pillar structure of the CAP, which includes the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), fundamental to ensuring both income support for farmers and the development of rural areas. The Minister pointed out that CAP subsidies represent between 18 and 20 percent of the average income of Spanish agricultural holdings, essential support for producers. In addition, Planas noted that the ecological schemes, which promote sustainable environmental ...