‘The goal is for the Cyprus EU Presidency to deliver a greener, more resilient and more competitive Europe,’ said the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panayiotou, during a presentation, on Friday, in Nicosia, of the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU in the fields of agriculture, fisheries and the environment.
Cyprus will act as an honest broker in order to reach an agreement that is broadly acceptable to the largest possible majority of Member States, she said, when asked about Cyprus’ stance regarding the Mercosur agreement and the new CAP.
Presenting the priorities, Panayiotou said that the agricultural and fisheries sectors fall primarily under the pillar of autonomy through competitiveness, with agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture at the core of the Cyprus Presidency priorities.
‘Our goal is to strengthen the competitiveness, sustainability and attractiveness of the European agricultural and fisheries sector,’ she said, noting that the main objective is to promote a fair, competitive and sustainable primary sector.
She stated that the priorities concern four distinct thematic pillars, which are inextricably linked. Specifically, they include an agricultural policy that strengthens the competitiveness, sustainability and long-term attractiveness of European agriculture; an agricultural sector that ensures European food production, strengthens resilient trade, reduces strategic dependencies on agricultural products and raw materials from third countries, and responds to regional challenges; a single market equipped with simplified and effective tools to address market pressures and challenges; and a strengthened Common Fisheries Policy that supports sustainable resources and the long-term prosperity of coastal communities.
Regarding the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), she said that ‘we want a strong CAP and a stable, specific and sustainable future’ for it. As she explained, greater emphasis will be placed on ensuring fair and stable income for producers and strengthening the position of farmers in the food supply chain.
‘Among the priorities of our Presidency is the promotion of policy discussions aimed at creating a sustainable and competitive agricultural sector that will ensure the uninterrupted production of quality food in sufficient quantities and at affordable prices for consumers, reduce the dependence on imports and enhance the strategic autonomy of the European Union,’ she underlined.
Referring to the dialogue launched on 7 January with an extraordinary political meeting co-organised by the Cyprus Presidency and the Commission, she said that ‘efforts will be made to create conditions for resilient external trade with third countries, based on international trade rules and ensuring a level playing field for all European farmers.’
She also noted that the Cyprus EU Presidency will promote discussions on the evaluation of legislation on Unfair Trading Practices, the simplification of legislation, strengthening farmers’ position in the common market supply chain, and the early warning of market disruptions.
Regarding environment and climate, the focus of the agenda is the European Green Deal and the urgent need to address the triple planetary crisis: climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
‘During our Presidency, our work will be promoted in five interlinked thematic areas that shape Europe’s environmental and economic future,’ she said, referring to water resilience and climate adaptation, climate policy, the circular economy, zero pollution and the bioeconomy strategy.
The Minister of Agriculture also referred to the simplification of environmental legislation, noting that it is an important goal and a commitment that must be fulfilled in a timely manner, without compromising environmental standards.