site.btaUPDATED Bulgaria, 19 Other EU Members Ask EC for Short-term Answers to Farmers' Urgent Problems

Minister of Agriculture and Food Kiril Vatev signed a letter to the European Commission (EC) prepared together with the agriculture ministers of 19 other EU member countries. The letter calls for short-term answers to farmers' urgent problems, the press centre of Vatev's Ministry reported here on Wednesday.

Last week Minister Kiril Vatev participated in the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels, held in connection with farmer protests. EU Ministers discussed the need for quick and effective responses to the crisis situation in the agricultural sector.

The letter to European Commission Vice-President for the European Green Deal Maros Sefcovic and Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski states that "for several months now, demonstrations in many EU member states have been staged by large numbers of farmers, which is symptomatic of a crisis across Europe".

The agriculture ministers of Bulgaria, Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden noted the problems expressed through protests across Europe, such as low average incomes for farmers, rising production costs and standards against a backdrop of inflation intensified by Russia's war in Ukraine.

Ministers add that farmers across Europe raise questions about the lack of long-term perspectives, the non-recognition of their strategic activities, the need for transparent and thorough consultations, given the direct impact of European legislation on their work.

The letter also notes concerns in the sector due to ambitious targets of the European Green Deal.

In all EU Member States, farmers are questioning the standards emerging outside the Common Agricultural Policy, even though they are the first victims of climate change. Ministers note the need to act on climate, but comment that these new and higher standards are becoming difficult to adopt, especially when they are not required for imports of products from third countries.

The European crisis requires Europe-wide responses, the agriculture ministers said. They call on the Commission to propose concrete steps and solutions to farmers' woes.

The agriculture minister concluded that there is a need for a timetable for action that will allow them to complete the work they have undertaken, to meet the expectations of European farmers and guarantee the food security and strategic autonomy of the European Union.