#FarmCrisis: MEPs urge Commission to push for structural reforms

The EU must come up with more decisive actions to deliver relief fast to farmers in the worst-hit sectors, such as dairy and livestock, MEPs told EU Agriculture Commissioner, Phil Hogan, at 12 April's debate on the ongoing crisis.

The MEPs also called for structural reforms to better balance the supply chain, ensure fairer income for farmers and assist them to become more resilient to market shocks.

Many MEPs criticised the Commission for doing too little, too late to solve ''the worst agriculture crisis in recent decades''. Some insisted that more market interventions were needed, including at least a temporary regulation of supply, while others, claiming an attempt to liberalise the EU's agriculture had failed, advocated further market regulation and incentives for farmers to voluntarily cut production.

Problems facing the sector have been deeper and longer lasting than expected following the downturn in global commodity prices. Efforts by Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan to help alleviate the sharp falls in farm incomes have been welcomed but these alone will not maintain farmers' economic viability.

Conservative Agriculture spokesman Richard Ashworth MEP urged the European Commission to help create a more competitive and resilient agricultural industry to address the crisis affecting farmers across Europe.

Ashworth also told the European Parliament: "What the Commission can, and must, do is find ways to help the industry become more productive, more competitive and more sustainable. Agriculture needs research and development investment, innovation and simplification. Above all, agriculture needs regulation based on common sense and proven science, not on emotion."

Several other MEPs also warned national attempts to solve the crisis had proven ineffective and warned against 'renationalising' EU farm policy. Some also voiced concerns about the international trade agreements that the EU is now negotiating and warned against the EU farm policy being used as a bargaining chip at expense of EU farmers.

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