Opening a new path for Europe and for its farmers
Commissioner Dacian Cioloş attended the 5th Forum for the Future of Agriculture in Brussels.
The Commissioner underlined the need of opening a new path for Europe and its Farmers to reconcile the expectations of the markets and of society. "We must rethink the role of public authorities, make our instruments more coherent, particularly direct payments, and review the position of professional operators, particularly as regards market management. The professionals must have the means to face up to markets sustainably", he said.
The Commissioner added :"The idea is not to go backwards. On the contrary, it is to go forward with a new vision of agriculture's role in society and the role of this major public policy in the service of all Europeans. Public authorities have to be in a position to offer legal instruments and to manage those instruments to ensure they are put to good use. They must be able to put in place effective safety mechanisms that are less costly than in the past. This is the essence of the current CAP reform. Farmers must be in charge of the decisions they take – within a public framework that ensures food safety, proper management of natural resources and growth, employment and development in our rural communities".
