CEJA's Lucas Van Dessel Demands Common Installation Policy at High-Level EP Intergroup

PRESS RELEASE

20/06/2012
Brussels, Belgium

CEJA representative asks the European Parliament and Council to endorse a Common Installation Policy for young farmers at High-Level Intergroup in European Parliament

Vice-President of the Belgian-Flemish young farmers Groene Kring, Lucas van Dessel, represented CEJA at today’s European Parliament Intergroup for Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development. Chaired by Rapporteur Capoulas Santos MEP, the Intergroup focused on the subject of “Shaping the Future CAP”.  Mr Van Dessel seized the opportunity to reinforce the importance of support for the young farmers’ measures in both pillars of the CAP.

This event followed the presentation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reports on the Single CMO, Direct Payments and Rural Development in this week’s European Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. The Intergroup brought together all three of the CAP rapporteurs in order to have an exchange of views between them, alongside head of Commissioner Cioloş’ Cabinet Georg Hausler.

The Groene Kring Vice-President stressed the importance of maintaining the mandatory nature of the young farmer top-up in the CAP’s first pillar, as well as the higher co-financing ratio in the young farmer sub-programme in Pillar II. He also welcomed the additional help proposed for young farmers by rapporteur Capoulas Santos, such as a state guarantee providing easier access to land for new entrants. Highlighting CEJA’s position on Greening of the first pillar, Lucas Van Dessel detailed a longer list of proposed measures to replace the Commission’s limited selection of three. He also seized this opportunity to accentuate the important role of young farmers in achieving a transition towards a greener economy. Mr Van Dessel ended his intervention by insisting that “a Common Installation Policy is now required to bring the Common Agricultural Policy into the 21st Century and keep the sector strong. We need a robust, collective approach in the face of a collective problem in order to revive generational renewal in European agriculture, and ensure agricultural sustainability in future.” 

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Read the speech on our speeches page.