Agri-food Cooperatives of Spain considers the EU budget proposal for the period 2021-2027 presented on May 2 by the president of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, and the Budget Commissioner, Günther Oettinger, as disappointing and disappointing.

For Agri-food Cooperatives of Spain, the proposal is disproportionate in its cuts on the CAP and the cohesion policy, and little ambitious regarding the new priorities that the EU must finance in security, defense and immigration.

It was expected that the European Commission would present a budget proposal close to 1.3% of the EU’s GNI, that of the European Parliament, and not the final 1.11%. De facto supposes a freezing of the community budget if the impact of Brexit and inflation is taken into account. The European Parliament’s proposal is more realistic, respects current EU policies and adequately finances the new priorities.

It must be remembered that the incomes of European agricultural producers are on average 40% lower than that of the other sectors of the economy. We are very concerned that the European Commission identifies the modernization and efficiency of the CAP with budget cuts, especially in these moments that we have to face global challenges such as the fight against climate change.

Agro-alimentary Cooperatives of Spain defends a CAP without cuts, because it is a policy that provides healthy, quality, sustainable and reasonably priced foods to society, and has proven its European added value over 60 years of history.

According to Agro-Alimentary Cooperatives, “the EU budget costs less than a daily coffee to a European citizen, and provides a large number of benefits that directly impact their daily lives and serves to address and manage problems that are impossible to face in a isolated for any Member State or region of the EU. The EU budget is not a cost, it is an investment in more efficient Community policies and that discharges the accounts of the Member States. “

Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España understands and supports the efforts being made by the European Commission to present budgets that take into account the cost of Brexit. It also recognizes improvements, such as in the field of innovation; and calls on Spain and the rest of the Member States to design a budget for the EU that is commensurate with the role we must play in the world and with the challenges that we have set ourselves as sector, State and European Union.

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