Sicily in the field against CAP cuts
"Agriculture is not to be touched: defending the CAP means defending work, quality, and Italian identity,' says Luca Sammartino, vice-president and councillor for agriculture of the Sicilian region, against the new European proposal that envisages a 20% cut in the Common Agricultural Policy from 2027. The hypothesis under consideration by the Union is to reduce the financial endowment, merging the CAP and Cohesion funds into a single national fund.
"It would be a very hard blow for farmers, businesses and territories, which cannot continue to pay the consequences of wrong decisions taken in Brussels".
Sammartino - who has been back at work in the Region for about a month, after Salvatore Barbagallo took over the reins of the department - also participated in the Chamber of Deputies at the presentation of the League's motion - first signed by group leader Riccardo Molinari - to say no to cuts and yes to a Europe that truly defends those who produce.
The motion defines the proposed downsizing of the CAP as 'Eurofollia signed by Von der Leyen' and asks the government to firmly oppose the European Commission in order to safeguard the specificity and competitiveness of the Italian agri-food sector, considered strategic for the national economy.
The Executive is also asked to oppose the introduction of new environmental and bureaucratic constraints, which could make farm management more complex.
