EU agricultural confederationCopa-Cogeca has urged members of the European Parliament to make a 'rapid and positive' decision on the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
At a specially convened meeting in Strasbourg, representatives of the group said they wanted MEPs to end what they said was uncertainty faced by EU farmers and agri-cooperatives, and to ensure they have a viable future.
The move came ahead of a European Parliament vote on the future CAP, due to take place on Wednesday 13 March.
The two individual bodies Copa and Cogeca urged all MEPs to support proposals tabled by the parliament's agriculture committee.
'With food demand on the rise, it is vital to have a sustainable and competitive EU agriculture sector,' said Copa president Gerd Sonnleitner. 'We want measures that are practical and fair and enable farmers to maintain their competitive positive in the face of the opening of the EU market to imports.
Sonnleitner added that agriculture was a key driver of growth and employment in rural parts of Europe and this had a positive effect on other sectors of the economy.
'It is crucial to have a positive decision this week to enable a final political agreement to be reached by the end of June,' he insisted. 'If MEPs do not a make a decision this week, it will be impossible to agree it in the foreable future.'
Cogeca president Christian Pees warned of extreme volatility on agricultural markets and highlighted the benefits of the CAP in helping to stabilise those markets.
'A speedy decision from the EU institutions is essential to end the uncertainty facing farmers and cooperatives and enable them to make important production and investment decisions,' he stressed. 'Countries like China and India are stepping up their investment in their agriculture sectors, we must do the same.'
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