Farmers on the streets in Strasbourg: rules and more transparency on imports
Italian producers also protest together with the French to demand more protection and reciprocity in the agreement with Mercosur
by G.d.O.
Stop unfair imports of food that do not meet European standards and jeopardise citizens' health and farmers' incomes. The same rules that agricultural companies follow in Europe must be respected by those who want to sell from any country that wants to export here. And more controls are needed, because now only 3% of goods are physically checked at ports and borders.
This is the position of Coldiretti, present today, Tuesday 20 January, in Strasbourg alongside the French farmers of Fnsea. Coldiretti farmers marched in a procession fto the European Parliament with over a thousand farmer members led by President Ettore Prandini and Secretary General Vincenzo Gesmundo.
The autocratic and ideological drift imposed by Ursula Von der Leyen - explain Coldiretti - is killing European agriculture and jeopardising the continent's food sovereignty. The Commission has a duty to defend European production, consumer citizens and food safety. If Von der Leyen does not immediately guarantee reciprocity, controls and transparency in international trade, he must leave office and immediately abandon the follies that have characterised his undemocratic management to date.
'Our protest,' commented Coldiretti President Ettore Prandini, 'is aimed at demanding more transparency in the interests of agricultural enterprises and consumer citizens. We want to give guarantees on product quality and we want the food that is imported to respect the same production rules required of our companies. Principles that apply to Mercosur but also to all agreements that will be signed in the future. We need to give certainty to the work of our farmers. Our battle will continue today, in the coming days and months, until we succeed in obtaining an element of clarity and transparency from the EU Commission'.
At risk according to the Cia-Agricoltori Italiani are above all the sectors of livestock, fruit and vegetables and rice. Sectors in which the greater availability of product from Latin American countries may exert a downward pressure on prices, with negative repercussions on entire supply chains.
