The EU agriculture ministers discussed further relief for farmers on Monday. Germany proposed making it easier for member states to support their agriculture without coming into conflict with EU competition law. Austria’s Norbert Totschnig (VP) is also in favor.
The allowance up to which the EU Commission does not control state aid could be increased from 20,000 to 50,000 euros.
Most recently, in view of the farmers’ protests, the EU accommodated farmers by easing biodiversity requirements and new rules for Ukrainian imports.
The planned EU deforestation regulation is still very controversial. Anyone who places wood and wood products, cattle or soy on the market would have to prove that no trees fell victim to this without reforestation. Totschnig calls for the reporting requirements to be simplified. Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) wrote to the EU Commission that this was not Austria’s position. The Green German Minister Özdemir, however, also called for the regulation to be suspended on Monday.
You can also watch a video on the subject of agriculture and the income situation of farmers:
Financial roller coaster ride for farmers – the OÖN analysis
According to economic experts, the good years are over – income for Austria’s farmers fell by around 20 percent last year. A year before that they rose by the same amount. The farmers on the rollercoaster – OÖN editor Alexander Zens: “The basic theme is that the prices that the farmers can earn have fallen very sharply, but the costs have fallen less sharply.”
