site.btaCommon Agricultural Policy Should Stay Independent with Own Budget, Agriculture Minister Says

Bulgaria's Agriculture and Food Minister Georgi Tahov told a meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) should remain independent, with a separate and sufficient budget to ensure the achievement of its objectives, the Agriculture Ministry said on Monday. Tahov stressed that there should be common rules at EU level on how Member States should use these funds.

Tahov said that given the increasing economic, climate and political challenges, it is essential to ensure adequate financing of policies which guarantee stability for farmers and sustainable development of the sector. According to him, the effective instruments of the current CAP should be preserved, including direct payments and coupled support, which play a key role in farmers' incomes.

"We call again for working towards equalization of direct payment levels so as to ensure that farmers in the EU are treated equally and are competitive," he said.

The sector's resilience should be viewed comprehensively, in economic, social and environmental terms. Tahov spoke in favour of a balance between the environmental goals and the economic viability of farms, so that requirements do not place an excessive financial burden, especially on small farmers.

"Global competition requires effective mechanisms to protect European farmers from cheap imports that do not meet the same environmental and hygiene standards," Tahov said, adding that the European Commission should develop more effective mechanisms to protect the internal market.

He emphasized the need for modern solutions and more flexible risk management tools that would ensure predictability and confidence to farmers in making business decisions. In this context, he called for a review of the EU-wide crisis response framework so that it would respond adequately to contemporary risks and contribute to the sector's stability.

During a discussion on the future of the Common Fisheries Policy, Bulgaria's position was that work on achieving the sustainability objectives should continue.

The participants noted that it is crucial for all countries in the Black Sea Basin to make a strong political commitment.