On Monday, May 26th, Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze participated in the European Union (EU) Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels, where ministers discussed the European Commission’s (EC) published vision for the future of agriculture and food production, as well as the current situation in the agricultural products market.
The vision for the future of agriculture and food production, titled “Vision for Agriculture in the EU: Shaping together an attractive farming and agri-food sector for future generations” presented by the EC, outlines a conceptual framework for the future direction of agricultural and food policy.
Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze stated: “A united vision and coordinated action across all agricultural and food sectors and at all levels is a priority for both the European Union and Latvia, in order to maintain the Common Agricultural Policy as an independent and strong policy with adequate funding. It is important for our country that agricultural resources are distributed fairly, and that direct payments between member states are equalized no later than by 2028. Ensuring food supply for the population and sustaining inhabited rural border areas are matters of national security. Therefore, the EU’s eastern border regions need special support to maintain economic activity and prevent population decline.”
The EC's vision for the future of agriculture and food production was also discussed by the agriculture ministers of the Baltic States during a meeting in Riga in April. The ministers signed a joint declaration highlighting the most pressing issues for the Baltic States that need to be addressed in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to better align it with regional and economic needs.
During the meeting, the EC Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen, presented ministers with the latest proposal for simplifying the CAP. Ministers welcomed the EC’s efforts to simplify the policy, especially regarding compliance requirements and CAP governance. However, they urged the Commission to also consider other areas that could still be improved during the current planning period.
In discussions about the current state of the agricultural products market, particularly affected by changes in U.S. tariff policy and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, officials sought ways to stabilize the situation. Latvia believes the EU must firmly protect its shared economic interests in trade negotiations with the U.S. At the same time, the EU should take a stricter stance against Russia and Belarus, including fish products in the next tariff proposal and gradually increasing customs duties on the broadest range of fertilizers.