Pan-EU Farmers Organization Notes Disparity in CAP Policies
The umbrella organization uniting farmers and their cooperatives in the EU has issued a position in support of fair Common Agricultural Policy reform that specifically mentions the Baltics.
The organization, COPA-COGECA, refers to low agricultural subsidies in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in its February 16 declaration, stating that the area subsidy level in the Baltic States remains significantly under the EU average.
It is the first time COPA-COGECA organization has named specific countries in an official joint statement, said the Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce, attributing it to well-coordinated lobbying efforts by Baltic groups.
The text was even supported by countries who stand to have their subsidy level decrease after the reform, said Roomet Sõrmus, head of the Chamber.
The statement was originally to be drafted in December but strong primarily from new member states delayed it until now, said the Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce.
Kristopher Rikken