Federations representing Belgium's farmers expressed strong opposition on Wednesday to a European Commission proposal to reduce the EU agriculture budget by 28% under the next multiannual financial framework (MFF).
"This is a slap in the face for the sector," the Boerenbond, which represents Flemish farmers, commented.
The European Commission announced on Wednesday that €300 billion would beearmarked for farmers' incomes from 2028 to 2034. This is less than the amount allocated under the current common agricultural policy.
This announcement creates "unacceptable uncertainty" for the European agricultural sector, which is facing "more numerous and pressing challenges than ever before," Belgium's Federation of Young Farmers (FJA) said.
Such a reduction would jeopardise "the European Union's food sovereignty, its ability to guarantee fair prices for consumers and fair remuneration for producers," the FJA warned.
The federation sees the announcement as a "particularly negative signal" for a sector already weakened by crises. It believes a "strong financial commitment" is necessary to preserve the environment and ensure food security and generational renewal.
The FJA has now called on the European Parliament, "which had already spoken out against any reduction of the agriculture budget," and the European Council to reject the proposal and defend an "ambitious" European agricultural policy that guarantees a sustainable future for agriculture, rural areas and European citizens.
The Boerenbond, for its part, believes the budget proposed by the Commission "contrasts sharply with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's statements earlier this year, when she described agriculture as a strategic sector."
The Belgian farmers' reactions came on the same day that some 500 representatives of European agricultural federations gathered in Brussels to call for a "solidarity-based" common agricultural policy (CAP).
