European farmers’ unions Copa and Cogeca said they will push back against the Commission’s plans for the next agricultural budget by lobbying member states and MEPs rather than staging mass protests.
The organisations called the past months a “black summer”, pointing to the EU executive’s proposal to cut Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) spending by 25-30% in the next budget period and the launch of the EU-Mercosur ratification process. Representatives from across the bloc met this week to coordinate their response.
“The problem is not money, it is the structure” of the next CAP that “is unacceptable,” Copa president Massimiliano Giansanti told reporters at a press conference on Friday.
But diplomacy first. Rather than staging more large demonstrations in Brussels, the unions plan to focus on advocacy with lawmakers.
“We are not alone,” Giansanti said, pointing to the poor reception the Commission’s proposal has received in both the European Parliament and the Council. The union intends to engage with these institutions to find a “path that is different from the one with the Commission.”
They also want to take the lobbying to the top. “When President von der Leyen decides to meet with [us], we will be here”, Giansanti said.
But tractors remain close at hand. “We are not afraid to protest again, we will certainly do so if necessary, the tractors are ready,” he added.
Timing could be crucial: “Between now and Christmas, there will be many moments that could be ideal for protesting,” he said, citing “important decisions” expected in the Parliament in Strasbourg and the Council.
At the national level, the pressure is already visible. French farmers took to the streets on Friday to protest against budget cuts and the EU-Mercosur deal.
(adm)
