The president of the Generalitat Valenciana Carlos Mazon defended this Thursday in Brussels that “we must do everything possible to protect our farmersguarantee the food security and quality of citizens and promote, in a real and effective manner, equity and access to global markets. Mazón expressed himself in this way in his defense of what is called mirror clauses inside the opinion on agricultural competitivenesswhich he presented to the Committee of the Regions.
THE mirror clauses are the conditions of reciprocity that farmers from European countries, notably Spanish and French, are asking the European Union to include in its trade agreements with third countries whose products are exported to Europe.
Carlos Mazón’s opinion, entitled Improving the regional agricultural competitiveness of the European Union: a global strategy integrating fair trade conditions and phytosanitary securitywas approved by the Natural Resources Commission of the above-mentioned Committee and It will be presented at the plenary session of this organization in November.
The Valencian president proposed to achieve “more fairness, innovation and phytosanitary coordination” within the framework of European agricultural policies to thus guarantee productivity, competitiveness and sustainability in agriculture.
Mazón presented the proposal to strengthen the so-called Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and at the same time highlighted the “urgency” to “integrate and coordinate” within this same framework other policies that respond to current challenges and future of the sector. somehow “clear, effective and sustainable for all farmers“.
Carlos Mazón, accompanied to Brussels by the Valencian Minister of Agriculture Miguel Barrachinaalso highlighted the unfair trade practicesglobal warming and competition in a market “particularly” sensitive to geopolitical changes or demographic fluctuations constitute the “big challenges”. And he chose to respond to it using a “global, ambitious and realistic” strategy.
demanded policies that ensure the sector is “viable, sustainable and with a future”. Because, as he explains, the strength of the territories also depends on it, which are “the basis and support” of all activity: “From commerce to gastronomy”.
And this enhanced agriculture. A “essential and strategic” sector in economic and social development. But also a “fundamental piece in the issue of ecological transition”.
Mazón proposed a system of inspection “at origin” at European Union (EU) levelwhich guarantees that agricultural products imported from third countries comply with European phytosanitary regulations. This would protect farms from pests and diseases not present in European agriculture and ensure food security.
In addition, he called for “equalization” of trade and phytosanitary policies, which ensures that trade agreements with third countries are “fair and mutually beneficial”. He also defended, as has been said, the mirror clauses. So, how can we make technologies available to farmers that make it possible to “obtain new, more resistant varieties” or respond to the consequences of global warming, by promoting solutions that contribute “to compensate for water imbalances“.
Finally, she chose to promote a “precision” agriculture and the use of blockchain advance supply chain transparency and traceability of agricultural and food products “both those produced in the European Union and in third countries, from origin to the final consumer”.
