On Monday, 25 January, Minister for Agriculture Kaspars Gerhards participated in an informal conference of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council hosted by the Portuguese Presidency, where ministers from EU member states discussed current issues regarding trade in agricultural, food and fisheries products, including the need to reach an agreement with the European Parliament (EP) on the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as well as future relations with the United Kingdom (UK) following the conclusion of the Brexit agreement.
Minister for Agriculture Kaspars Gerhards stressed that when reaching an agreement with the EP, balanced environmental and climate requirements must be maintained so that farmers can implement them in the future and so that the new requirements do not create a negative impact on the development of rural areas, food production and security.
Minister for Agriculture Kaspars Gerhards: “We have been insistent to date, pointing out that it is vital to maintain a balance between environmental requirements and the actual possibilities of implementing them in the agricultural sector. In the name of environmental protection, we must not create an unbearable burden for farmers and threaten the existence of the agricultural sector. It is a sector important to the national economy that provides food for our citizens. Furthermore, the Brexit and Covid-19 pandemic crisis have significantly affected the Latvian, European and global economies; therefore, it is now particularly important to adopt sustainable and feasible decisions – so that by joining forces, an environmental policy can be created that benefits society and the environment, while not threatening the existence of the agricultural sector and the viability of rural regions.”
As is well known, on 24 December 2020, the EU and the UK finally reached an agreement on future relations after Brexit. The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement stipulates zero tariffs and zero quotas for all goods, including agricultural and fisheries products. However, it is clear that mutual trade in goods and products will become more complex, as imports and exports will be subject to customs formalities and border checks will need to be carried out.
Minister Kaspars Gerhards pointed out that the EU's trade strategy with third countries regarding the agricultural sector must be well-considered and should not conflict with the objectives of the CAP. Free trade agreements with third countries must be balanced and take into account the long-term interests of EU member states, especially in the agricultural sector.