On Monday, May 26th, Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze will participate in the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels. The Council will include ministerial discussions on the European Commission’s (EC) recently published vision for the future of agriculture and food production, as well as the current situation in the agricultural products market.
The EC’s vision, published on 19 February this year, titled "Vision for Agriculture and Food: Shaping the future of farming and the agri-food sector for future generations in Europe.", is a key document for EU Member States. It outlines a long-term perspective for the development of the agricultural and food policy up to 2040 and beyond, aiming to achieve a common vision and coordinated action across all sectors of agriculture and food in the EU.
Latvia considers that a shared vision and coordinated actions at all levels—both within the EU and nationally—are essential to ensure that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) continues to be implemented as a distinct and strong EU policy beyond 2027.
The ministers will also discuss the current situation in agricultural markets, which continue to be significantly affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and changes in the U.S. tariff policy. High production costs and disruptions in the supply of raw materials and products are impacting markets in Latvia and the EU as a whole, putting increasing pressure on farmers. Restrictive trade measures introduced by the United States are also affecting the economic interests and competitiveness of EU Member States.
The EC and Member States will seek ways to balance the situation to minimize the impact on EU agricultural and food producers.