Adoption of the Fidanza Report: Our ECR Group on the Front Line to Defend Our Farmers in the European Parliament
I am delighted by the adoption of the report on the future of livestock farming in Europe by our ally in the European Parliament, Carlo Fidanza, first vice‑president of the ECR party and head of the Italian delegation of our group. While the national strategy for food, nutrition and climate published on February 11 by the French government demonises meat consumption and production, there is, on the contrary, a majority in the European Parliament to defend our farmers and their products.
The Fidanza report is a genuine love letter to European livestock farming. It reminds us that instead of advocating a reduction in herd sizes and the replacement of animal proteins, our continent should position itself as the global leader of prudent and quality agriculture. And this is not impossible, as European exports of animal products have tripled since 2000. Yet this ambition continues to be fought by a swarm of NGOs and Sunday scientists who have identified European farmers as their primary enemies. We will not let them do that, and the Fidanza report fortunately reminds us that farmers are the primary actors and the primary beneficiaries of animal welfare or nature protection.
In this regard, the articles voted on Thursday, April 30 call for regulatory simplification, a review of the Nitrates Directive, and the fight against the legal insecurity of farmers. The report stresses that “the livestock sector should not be subject to a regulatory regime designed for heavy industries.” Another nail in the coffin of green ideology.
By voting for this report, European parliamentarians also reminded the Commission of their demands regarding the CAP: budget sanctuaries, maintenance of direct payments, especially for young farmers, and the establishment of a special financial instrument for farms affected by free‑trade agreements. No, French and European farmers are not condemned to disappearance or relocation. With our ECR group, we will continue to defend them successfully in the negotiations of the CAP and the next European budget.
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Translated from French, view original