In a speech, Emmanuel Macron set himself the goal of rebuilding agricultural and food independence. These comments echo a previous statement in which he described agriculture as a strategic activity that should be placed outside the laws of the market. What a break with a very recent past (ratification of CETA in July 2019)!
The European Union, which has come under criticism, exacerbated by its management of the current health crisis, could relegate itself with an ambitious agricultural project. As the founding fathers did in the past with the Common Agricultural Policy, Europe would be well advised to seize this opportunity.
Relocation of productions to European territory
The European Commission must take stock of all these free trade agreements which deliver our agriculture a little more each day to the uncontrollable laws of the market, to start thinking about and profound changes. Delegating our food is “crazy,” said the President of the Republic. Obviously! This health crisis highlights that we can no longer entrust agricultural and food trade to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Agriculture is not an economic activity like the others. As with culture, an agricultural exception is therefore essential in international trade. Europe must protect its markets and organize its own agricultural policy to ensure food sovereignty
Relocating productions to European territory is an absolute priority.
The CAP, Europe’s armed wing in agricultural matters, must return to its original missions: guaranteeing the security of its supplies, stabilizing the markets and ensuring a fair standard of living for the farming population.
In this context, should we still speak of an export vocation? Shouldn’t we rather adapt supply to demand by regulating? This does not mean preventing exports, as long as they remunerate farmers and do not destabilize the agriculture of the countries that receive them.
A historic meeting
For all this, Europe needs numerous peasants. Alas, is it not too late already? For more than 30 years, the European Union has deliberately agreed to deprive farmers of a decent income. As a result, the collapse of agricultural prices, offset by premiums, directly emptied the countryside of its peasants!
Finally, Europe will have to put an end to unfair competition within it. How to justify that within its common market, social, fiscal and environmental standards are so diverse?
Europe has a historic date ahead of it, it must not fear to change its policy, otherwise its end will be near! How can citizens recognize themselves in an organization that does not protect them?
(*) Jean-François Couëtil, farmer in Ille-et-Vilaine, regional president of Rural Coordination
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