Spanish farmers vow to maintain up protests till EU rows again on ‘absurd’ guidelines

Mr Cortés mentioned the outcomes after one yr of CAP are “catastrophic”, including that “subsidies have decreased whereas environmental measures improve”. 

“We’ve to depart 11 per cent of our land unsown or fallow, however we nonetheless have overheads and pay taxes; it’s absurd,” he mentioned.

European farmers have revolted partly as a result of they’re being compelled to take care of excessive requirements of hygiene and environmental safety whilst imports enter their nations from different markets with out such strict guidelines on manufacturing high quality.

Mr Cortés cited Ukrainian grain, rice from Myanmar, South African oranges and fruit and greens from North Africa because the worst examples of the “unfair competitors” Spanish producers face.

Luis Planas, the Spanish Agriculture Minister, supplied a package deal of measures to farmer 

union representatives on Thursday, together with a brand new company that will implement present laws that makes it unlawful to purchase farm produce under price worth. 

Mr Planas additionally promised to renegotiate a number of the EU environmental laws with the Fee.

Elisa Ferreira, the European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, instructed farmers throughout a go to to Spain on Friday that Brussels is working to scale back forms. 

“The Fee is listening, it’s making an attempt to simplify issues,” she mentioned.