Мinister of Agriculture and Food Ivan Hristanov held a high-level meeting with representatives of Copa-Cogeca, the leading organization representing European farmers and agricultural cooperatives. The meeting took place in Brussels, immediately preceding the Council of Ministers for Agriculture and Fisheries. Secretary General Elie Tsiforou, Copa Vice-President Frank Sander, and Cogeca Vice-President Leonardo Pofferi represented the organization.
During the session, Minister Hristanov emphasized that Bulgaria firmly supports maintaining the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as a robust and independent European policy beyond 2027. He advocated for a dedicated budget and a clearly defined two-pillar structure, opposing the integration of the CAP into a "Single Fund."
"Under conditions of political instability, national-level negotiations risk turning agricultural resources into a 'bargaining chip' within a broader common fund," Minister Hristanov stated. He added that merging budgets in this way creates a contradiction between the concepts of a common budget and a unified policy and market.
Furthermore, Minister Hristanov stressed the importance of preserving the N+3 rule to ensure a long-term investment horizon for innovation, education, and sustainable rural development. He also cautioned that shifting the financing of eco-schemes to national budgets would create systemic inequality between Member States, given the varying fiscal capacities of national governments.
Addressing current sectoral challenges, the Minister highlighted the severe economic pressure on farmers due to high fertilizer prices. He urged that the implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) be postponed for as long as possible until international markets stabilize. Hristanov emphasized that the primary goal must be to ensure food security and affordability, noting that attempting to maintain CBAM through compensatory measures for farmers would be ineffective.
"Our positions share a common foundation, and we must strengthen them amid current geopolitical instability as part of the European community," Minister Hristanov concluded. Both parties agreed that a decision regarding the suspension of CBAM operations should be reached as quickly as possible to assist farmers ahead of the upcoming spring planting season.