Jačanje regionalne konkurentnosti EU-a u području poljoprivrede sveobuhvatna strategija koja uključuje pravične trgovinske uvjete i fitosanitarnu sigurnost
Opinion factsheet
Na ovoj stranici
- Poljoprivredna i pomorska politika i politika zaštite potrošača
- Poljoprivreda
Opinion number:
CDR-2564-2024
Status:
Usvojeno
Impact
The European Commission shares the CoR's concerns regarding the need to ensure fair and equitable trade and market access, as well as the need to ensure resilience, including water resilience for a long-term competitiveness in agriculture, and is committed to addressing these challenges through a range of initiatives. The Commission also agrees on the need to ensure that the common agricultural policy (CAP), including rural development measures support effectively a sustainable transition, reducing the use of chemical pesticides, ensuring balanced fertilization, promoting soil health, biodiversity and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Furthermore, the European Commission is also aware of the challenges posed by unfair global competition, unjustified trade barriers and risks of distortions to global supply chains. The Commission monitors closely what impacts unjustified tariff barriers will have on each sector and will stand firm in defending multilateralism, open and fair trade and the rule-based international order.
In response to current and future challenges, the Commission will continue to strengthen partnerships across the globe while scaling up preparedness for any possible scenario. As unveiled by the Vision for Agriculture and Food, this will include working with partners and international organizations to strengthen multilateral rules and implementation of commitments, raising global standards in international standard-setting bodies and, in any case, presenting a line of action on deepening reciprocity to the Member States in 2025. The Commission will also establish a principle that the most hazardous pesticides banned in the EU are not allowed back in through imports, strengthen controls on food and feed safety, and ensure that future legislation on animal welfare applies the same standards for products produced in the EU and those imported from third countries.
In addition, the Commission will develop a ʻUnity Safety Net’ to protect the Union, Member States, and agricultural sectors from unilateral unlawful action against them. This will, as appropriate, entail acting externally in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) or through legal instruments such as the EU Anti-Coercion Instrument3.
In this regard, the Commission stands ready to react against unfair trade practices in compliance with the WTO legal framework.
The Commission will also step up agri-food economic diplomacy to promote and defend EU exports, by strengthening international partnerships to raise standards globally and enforce trade agreements, notably the implementation of their Trade and Sustainable Development and Sustainable Food Systems chapters.
The Commission agrees with the Committee that it is essential to promote fair and equitable trade practices, favouring sustainable and water resilient agricultural development both in the EU and in third countries. The Commission will pay specific attention to the possible impact of EU regulatory policies on local agri-food systems and ensure coherence between EU internal and external policies.
The Commission takes note of the recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the implementation of sustainability commitments and will work with international partners on the development of a common approach to the assessment of sustainability aspects, which will complement the EU's work with benchmarking sustainability.
In conclusion, the European Commission shares the CoR’s concerns regarding the need to enhance the EU's regional agricultural competitiveness and will continue to strengthen sustainable, fair and equitable trade policies to ensure competitiveness and water and climate resilience in the face of global challenges. By working together, the EU can ensure that its agricultural sector remains a key driver of the rural economy, sustainability, and food security, both within the EU and globally. The Commission is committed to implementing these initiatives in a way that promotes sustainability, fairness, and equity, and looks forward to continuing to work with the CoR to achieve these goals.
Furthermore, the European Commission is also aware of the challenges posed by unfair global competition, unjustified trade barriers and risks of distortions to global supply chains. The Commission monitors closely what impacts unjustified tariff barriers will have on each sector and will stand firm in defending multilateralism, open and fair trade and the rule-based international order.
In response to current and future challenges, the Commission will continue to strengthen partnerships across the globe while scaling up preparedness for any possible scenario. As unveiled by the Vision for Agriculture and Food, this will include working with partners and international organizations to strengthen multilateral rules and implementation of commitments, raising global standards in international standard-setting bodies and, in any case, presenting a line of action on deepening reciprocity to the Member States in 2025. The Commission will also establish a principle that the most hazardous pesticides banned in the EU are not allowed back in through imports, strengthen controls on food and feed safety, and ensure that future legislation on animal welfare applies the same standards for products produced in the EU and those imported from third countries.
In addition, the Commission will develop a ʻUnity Safety Net’ to protect the Union, Member States, and agricultural sectors from unilateral unlawful action against them. This will, as appropriate, entail acting externally in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) or through legal instruments such as the EU Anti-Coercion Instrument3.
In this regard, the Commission stands ready to react against unfair trade practices in compliance with the WTO legal framework.
The Commission will also step up agri-food economic diplomacy to promote and defend EU exports, by strengthening international partnerships to raise standards globally and enforce trade agreements, notably the implementation of their Trade and Sustainable Development and Sustainable Food Systems chapters.
The Commission agrees with the Committee that it is essential to promote fair and equitable trade practices, favouring sustainable and water resilient agricultural development both in the EU and in third countries. The Commission will pay specific attention to the possible impact of EU regulatory policies on local agri-food systems and ensure coherence between EU internal and external policies.
The Commission takes note of the recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the implementation of sustainability commitments and will work with international partners on the development of a common approach to the assessment of sustainability aspects, which will complement the EU's work with benchmarking sustainability.
In conclusion, the European Commission shares the CoR’s concerns regarding the need to enhance the EU's regional agricultural competitiveness and will continue to strengthen sustainable, fair and equitable trade policies to ensure competitiveness and water and climate resilience in the face of global challenges. By working together, the EU can ensure that its agricultural sector remains a key driver of the rural economy, sustainability, and food security, both within the EU and globally. The Commission is committed to implementing these initiatives in a way that promotes sustainability, fairness, and equity, and looks forward to continuing to work with the CoR to achieve these goals.
Essential points
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
reaffirms the importance of the European agri-food sector as a pillar of the EU’s strategic food sufficiency and a vital driver of job creation and sustainable development in rural areas (pt.11);
stresses how important it is for the EU to promote fair and equitable trade practices, favouring sustainable agricultural development both in the EU and in third countries. The EU must ensure, through impact assessments of trade agreements, that its trade policies respect reciprocity, without creating market distortions that could harm local economies, thus contributing to balanced trade that stimulates sustainable growth and global food security (pt. 36);
calls on the European Commission to establish mirror clauses in all trade agreements in force as well as in those being revised or that will be revised in the future, in order to ensure fair competition and to benefit EU farmers, workers, businesses, citizens, sustainability and animal welfare (pt. 39);
draws attention to the potential impact of possible US tariffs on agricultural products – including wines and spirits, pasta, dairy products and olive oil – on EU regions (pt. 10);
calls for firm action against unjustified barriers to free and fair trade in order to protect European businesses, workers and consumers from unjustified tariffs (pt. 10).