André RODRIGUES

Policy topics André RODRIGUES is active on

What André RODRIGUES has said (31)

• 2026-03-18 “answer given by Mr Kadis on behalf of the European Commission 12.5.2026 Written questions E-10-2026-001045_EN E-10-2026-001097_EN E-10-2026-001125_EN E-10-2026-001287_EN The Commission is continuously monitoring and projecting potential impacts of the situation in the Middle East. While there are no immediate concerns for the EU’s security of supply, prices, particularly for refined products like diesel face significant volatility. This has direct consequences and dire economic and social implications for the EU, in particular for primary agricultural production and fisheries. As regards fisheries, pursuant to Article 26(2) of the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) Regulation, the Commission has activated a crisis support mechanism in case of an exceptional event causing a significant disruption of markets [1] . The Commission invites Member States to proceed with the relevant processes to make support available to the sectors under their national EMFAF programmes and in line with the established EU rules. The Commission is aware that the situation may require going beyond EMFAF to support as efficiently as possible undertakings whose economic activity is directly hit by this crisis. Therefore, the Commission has adopted a temporary state aid framework which will allow aid for the primary production of fishery and aquaculture products [2] . Member States will be able to use the new temporary crisis framework, in addition to the standard state aid rules applicable to the fishery sector, to support the sector. The Commission has also put forward the AccelerateEU initiative [3] to alleviate the situation for businesses and consumers. Considering the importance of learning from crisis situations, the Commission underlines that sustainable business models and energy transition remain pivotal for the resilience of fisheries sector and its competitiveness. [1] Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/889 of 16 April 2026 establishing the situation in the Middle East as of 28 February 2026 as the occurrence of an exceptional event causing a significant disruption of markets: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2026/889/oj. [2] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_894. [3] https://energy.ec.europa.eu/strategy/accelerateeu-strengthen-eu-energy-resilience_en.”
  Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
• 2026-02-05 “E-000472/2026 Answer given by Mr Šefčovič on behalf of the European Commission The Commission is aware of the issue regarding the exports of sardines from Morocco. At this stage, the Commission services and the Delegation of the EU to Morocco are investigating, and will assess how best to tackle the issue. In the meantime, alternative sources of supply from preferential partner countries exist via a large network of EU Free Trade Agreements. There is also supply from the EU vessels fishing in the EU waters and the EU production can be used to supply the EU canneries.”
  Trade relations with Morocco
• 2026-02-04 “P-000443/2026 Answer given by Mr Hansen on behalf of the European Commission 1. Under the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), through the 2023-2027 CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), Portugal has programmed support for the restoration of agricultural and forestry potential following natural disasters, adverse climatic events or catastrophic events amounting to EUR 23.6 million of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) available for farmers and forest owners. In addition, following the recent Omnibus simplification, Member States can mobilise CSP funding for crisis payments that compensate for production losses due to such events. Furthermore, following a request from the Portuguese authorities to mobilise the agricultural reserve to support the agricultural sector affected by the storm, the Commission will examine the possibility to adopt exceptional measures under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 1 . 2. Restoration support provided for in the Portuguese CSP can already be implemented by national authorities. In order to make use of the possibility to provide crisis payments to farmers, Portugal would need to submit a CSP amendment request to the Commission. However, expenditure would be eligible as from the occurrence of the catastrophic event. National authorities may also grant, under certain conditions, support to farmers in line with EU State aid rules 2 . 3. Under the CSP, Member States already may combine support for risk management tools with crisis and restoration measures, ensuring complementarity between ex ante and ex post support. Increasing the uptake of risk management tools is essential to strengthen resilience at the farm level, and ex post support should be limited to crisis situations. The Commission remains ready to work closely with Portugal to make full use of the existing framework. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/1308/oj/eng. 2 Without prior notification to the Commission under the Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2472 of 14 December 2022 declaring certain categories of aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (OJ L 327, 21.12.2022, p. 1), or following a notification to the Commission under the Guidelines for State aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors and in rural areas (OJ C 485, 21.12.2022, p. 1).”
  Agricultural funding · Direct payments to farmers (pillar 1)
• 2024-10-03 “E-001931/2024 Answer given by Ms Ferreira on behalf of the European Commission 1. The EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) 1 can be activated at the request of an affected Member State within 12 weeks of the first damage. The Member State must demonstrate that the total direct damage exceeds the thresholds specified in Article 2 Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002, that is, in the event of a ‘regional disaster' in an outermost region, total direct damage exceeding 1% of regional Gross Domestic Product. Portugal has not requested EUSF assistance for this disaster. 2. The 2021-2027 Cohesion Policy funds can help supporting healthcare infrastructure. For example, the regional programme for the Azores plans to allocate EUR 72.4 million from the European Regional Development Fund to the renovation or construction of new energyefficient healthcare buildings, health equipment, and measures to improve the delivery of family and community-based care services. 1 Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund (OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3) as amended by Regulation (EU) No 661/2014 of the European Parliament and the Council of 15 May 2014 (OJ L 189, 27.6.2014, p. 143) and by Regulation (EU) 2020/461 of the European Parliament and the Council of 30 March 2020 (OJ L 99, 31.3.2020, p. 9). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32002R2012”
  Funding for OCTs and outermost regions
• 2024-09-25 “E-001824/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Vestager on behalf of the European Commission On 7 June 2022, the Commission approved EUR 453.25 million restructuring aid to the SATA Group, subject to the conditions set out in its decision 1 . Portugal has to ensure that SATA Air Açores - Sociedade Açoriana de Transportes Aéreos S.A., and/or its subsidiaries, as appropriate, must fully implement, within the relevant timelines until 31 December 2025, the measures included in the restructuring plan and other measures provided for in the Commission’s decision, including divestments. The Commission is in regular contacts with the competent Portuguese authorities and the Commission’s services have been so far satisfied regarding the implementation of the restructuring plan. However, the Commission cannot comment on specific business secrets or confidential information acquired in the context of the case and the implementation of its decision 2 . 1 OJ L 160, 26.6.2023, p.39. 2 Article 30 of Council Regulation (EU) 2015/1589 of 13 July 2015 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, OJ L 248, 24.9.2015, p. 9 and Commission communication of 1 December 2003 on professional secrecy in State aid decisions (OJ C 297, 9.12.2003, p. 6), point 8.”
  EU Competition policy · EU funding for transportation
• “Thank you. Chair. I will speak in Portuguese. Accessibility and mobility in outermost regions of the European Union is a real issue. I thank the author of the study, in particular, for the contribution that you've made in reflecting what's going on in these in these areas. There's the issue of getting from Brussels to the Azores, for example, yesterday, yesterday it took me 16 hours to get to to Brussels. The this issue of geographic isolation is a real problem in the European Union. And we are specifically dependent on maritime and air transport to guarantee our economic activity and to be able to play a full role as citizens in the single European market, in the case of the Azores. 25% is the extra cost for the economy for importing and exporting products, products which are vital for our development. The study shows once again that it's very relevant idea to have specific EU measures for outermost regions. In particular, this fit for 55 project, which could would guarantee us better access so that there are sustainable transport solutions for us in the Azores. There is a there is also geographic dispersion. Dispersion between the different the nine different islands of the Azores. And that means we also need EU help to reinforce the air and sea links between the islands, so that we would need help with the various ports and airports. And then there's also the issue of climate change, where meaning that we need to have more environmentally friendly mobility, the scale of the programs and the different mechanisms for connecting Europe and the cohesion policy also have a specific initiative for outermost regions. And they certainly are important measures which we've been defending for a long time now. And this study study also also highlights them, requires that there's also a proper commitment to equality. What we can't have is a situation where the Azores or the other outermost regions are left behind, and where there aren't adequate policies, because only if we have those policies can we have a sustainable future for these communities. And can we really ensure that everybody really is a European citizen. Thank you very much, Mr. Rodriguez.”
  Funding for OCTs and outermost regions
• “Thank you chair. Thank you to the Commission. Ukraine is resisting against the Russian aggression. There are many attempts to destabilise the The country hybrid warfare, and we are modernizing our relationship with Ukraine. It's an act of solidarity and responsibility, and it will strengthen us. But there are there's an asymmetrical situation, different costs, and this could affect the European Union. I am in favor of open trade, but there have to be rules underpinning it. We have to have transparent rules. And if thresholds are exceeded, we need to act quickly. We can only have a strong EU if we continue to have reciprocal values and rules in our trade. Today I will say that I am committed to supporting Chisinau and Kiev, but at the same time we need to support our farmers here and outside of the Union. Thank you.”
  Agricultural trade: Ukraine imports
• “Thank you very much. Chair. Commissioners. Colleagues. Now, despite the problems, the ship owners and fishers did know they could count on EU support. All we had to do was look at their assessments carried out by the Commission. With the previous MFA, more than 226,000 fishers and more than 30 ship owners received a support. And we look at the next MFF. What we can see is that there is a chance that this might all be of the past. There is just a 2 billion earmarked as a minimum for the CFP. We know that this is an incredible decrease compared to the 6 billion in the past. Fissures. Will need to look for the additional 4 billion in the the Competitiveness Fund or elsewhere. That is not acceptable with 27 different envelopes. The Commission is setting up a type of. A fund that will be in equal for our regions. And if we look at in Galicia and Brittany, in the Azores, they are going to be competing for the same amount as a big fisheries or infrastructure or industry. The European Parliament's role is to look at the red line that we have, that we will defend the amount for fisheries. We need to make sure that there is a social guarantee that at least 15% of the maritime financing is for small scale fisheries and the establishment of a regional regional approach. We need to make sure that this amount serves the people who fish the seas, and currently that is not the case. Thank you.”
  Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
• “We want to take account of authorities and the competences of national authorities. Deregulation must be avoided. We should look at the effects of reducing legislation, because hurrying to take away measures is not sensible. We have to have simplification, yes, but we don't want a social backsliding. And if we evaluate this properly, then we can work on the basis of facts rather than on the basis of slogans. We all suggest a fixed payment to small farmers, more social justice and stability of income. These rules, which are proportionate to the. The size of the holding and that are predictable. So that's lot less loss of time. And we can also look at what happens. If we leave, if we have abandoned holdings we always need to cooperate with the stakeholders. And we have to make sure that this own financing, that's possible. There's got to be redistribution of scarce funds. And we need to protect farming at a very delicate time. Obviously, we need to have a discussion about the the reform of the CFP. We have to make sure that we have enough budgetary means. We don't want something that gives rise to a lot of expectations that cannot be fulfilled.”
  Direct payments to farmers (pillar 1)
• “President. Commissioner. We've got air bases. We've got bases. Nato bases right across Europe. We can't be a transit point. We need to defend our interests. We need to defend our peoples and our values. Europe isn't going to defend itself by purchasing 27 times the same equipment or giving way to blackmail from other partners. We need more internal cohesion, a stronger policy, and stronger industry and harmonisation. Joint purchasing strategic training right across the European Union. Now, we cannot neglect these gaps that exist and we cannot neglect our geography either. The Atlantic. The outermost regions. Strategic places Bring together the union. They link up the union and they need more attention. Protecting the Atlantic is also about protecting Europe as a whole. Thank you.”
  EU competences on defence
• “Mr. president, Commissioner, We need a new vision for new times in our world and for a new moment in our history. And for this, we need to have a community budget that has greater resources that will allow us to face greater challenges. A budget that allows us to access new sources of funding in order to respond to the new demands of our society. A budget that continues to support economic, social and territorial cohesion that will further deepen the single market, that will reduce inequalities, poverty and social exclusion. A budget that supports the traditional sectors of agriculture and fisheries and looks at new potentials in the form of innovation in our oceans and space. A budget that does not abandon our climate ambitions, but at the same time also strengthens our defence and security. A budget that realizes that we must urgently address the housing crisis and the needs of our young people, and a budget that defends our outermost regions. We need a budget that is capable of raising the EU's profile and responding to the challenges of our times, and that is what this proposal also stands for. Thank you.”
  Size of EU budget
• “We want to make sure that we maintain permanent farming in order to tackle climate change. We want yields to go hand in hand with diversity. The role of national authorities and interoperability of digital systems is something which brings to simplification. We don't double things up. Everything should be done once only, so all the information should be submitted in one fell swoop. And that way we can reduce administrative costs at the same time. We have to make sure that there's accessibility. Nobody must be left behind. There must be simple interfaces. That's particularly important for small and medium sized holdings. And we must have trust on the ground, because if people have trust, then they know what they can expect. It's important that payments are made on time, that the rules are predictable, simple, and that they continue to apply all the time. We want to make a real change to farmers day to day life. I'll talk to everybody. I'll listen to everybody. We're happy to work together to come up with additional improvements. We all want simplification without taking away protection. We may. We want this to work more rapidly and more efficiently without taking away funding.”
  Digital and precision farming
• “Madam president, Commissioner, we're running a risk here. We might find a cap that is a little more than an acronym. If you look at the budget, it's threatened to be cut and it could be put in national hands. This threatens the incomes of thousands of farmers and their families. It threatens our food sovereignty and territorial cohesion. We need to respect the people who work the land. They need to give them a stable, reliable income that's index, so that the cap doesn't end up having hidden cuts within it. We can't allow the cap to carry the full weight of the just transition, and allow farmers to be exposed to the effects of climate change. So we need support, small and medium sized farmers. We need to guarantee that process is continued, which is essential for outermost regions like the Azores. We need less. Well, having less rules and less support means an abdication of responsibility. Thank you very much.”
  Direct payments to farmers (pillar 1)
• “(15:44:50 – 15:47:04): Madam president Thank you very much, madam chair. These fisheries local action groups are important in the implementation of the fisheries policies in our regions, in our countries. There's 16 flags in my country, and, they have some on the main, mainland and then, of course, in the Madeira and Azores as well. They help the coastal communities. They provide a link between, CLLD local populations. And we can talk about the flags in the Azores, for example, where they're working with local authorities and companies, so public private partnerships where there's a unique governance model that's been established, where local authority is actually doing very well in using the money where they've got 3,600,000 budget to deal with all sorts of projects that they're implementing now. There are many, many more I could go on. This architecture has been established over the course of 10 years supported by European funds, managed by local partners who know the situation on the ground. And, they're dealing with these issues and looking to the future for the new MFF because these flags are dependent on European funding on the MFFAF. And if that money is not being guaranteed, if there's no ring fence budget for them with no specific budget, without specific visibility, then these fisheries local action groups will be hostages to any government who may decide whether or not they get money. We need to fight against this logic and this parliament that has flagged its position in the last, plenary need to make sure that the local communities do the job they can do. Thank”
  Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
• “Thank you very much, chair. I'd like to thank you very much for the presentations of these studies and welcome the conclusions that are very broad and very well targeted. They look at blue economy, fisheries, fisheries and international management of oceans, but they really do look decisively at the challenges that the EU faces in all of these areas, and how important EU policy decisions and national policy decisions will be. The policy recommendations should focus more at protecting fishers biodiversity, and also making sure that we have fair pay for our fishers as well as for our fishing communities. The conclusions on this point are very clear on the challenges climate change, market uncertainty, not enough technology in the sector. And on the needs, of course, to protect, to give more potential to innovation and integrating technology more in our fisheries and making sure that we are meeting our environmental objectives. So this study is a good point of departure for analysis, but it should have more ambition and it should bring into the mix more stakeholders, for example, when it comes to modernizing the fleet and support to green and digital transitions in the sector, as well as training and of all of those involved in the policy recommendations, therefore offer us a lot of opportunities to continue to work here in this committee. In addition to that, it also allows all stakeholders and member states to be able to cooperate more on these aspects. I'd like to welcome the partnership's international partnerships to make sure that there is no IUU that has a negative impact on the EU and outside of the EU as well. Thank you very much.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries
• “Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Firstly, I would like to wish everybody a Happy New Year and all the best for 2026. It's very important when it comes to European competitiveness, that we have the means to achieve our strategic objectives, in particular in terms of research and development. This shouldn't just be a nice statement, it can only be implemented if politicians set clear priorities, in particular when it comes to the agricultural economy and the organic economy. We need to ensure that agriculture is recognised in its strategic importance here. So that it isn't subjected to industrial requirements. So we're looking at value change as well, and we need to think about what the agricultural approaches are that we should take, whether we're looking at means for promoting organic farming or also other measures that might include the reduction of pesticides and the effective use of rare resources as well. How much are each? Is each individual project going to be promoted? Because it's also a question here of of fairness. Under this measure, how can we ensure the creation of jobs in rural areas? We want to make sure that we have a territorially balanced measure that's also socially fair. These are fundamental principles that need to be reflected in the specific application of the fund.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Simplification has got one at the same time to help to resolve the problems that there are in the sector. There are geographical disparities, there are differentials in production patterns in crops and so much more throughout the territory of the European Union. It is useful that we have the crisis funding, and I think that this is something which we should certainly be able to draw on. But it shouldn't just be a blank cheque, it should be a support mechanism. So there are mechanisms for support are too constrained. We should be able to draw on additional Funding. If there is a genuine necessity. Social conditionality. Briefly, what we must avoid is penalising those who are actually playing a clean game, as opposed to those who are playing the market. It shouldn't just be funding which is deployed in order to resolve issues created by dumping on the employment market, for example. No, we should be working to try to make the sector attractive for younger and new entrants. We should be working to ensure that we achieve the game and that we maintain good quality soils. We should be trying to ensure that we have good quality statistics on the longer term, so that they can be a valuable input into crafting a more effective and better policy and strategy for the future. There are many objectives that we have agricultural, environmental, societal. And I think that we must come together in order to achieve these objectives.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Madam president. Commissioner. The marine environment is deteriorating. And if this carries on, it will be a threat to human life. Hence the. Role of fishermen should be recognised. And the artisanal fleets should be recognised in Portugal, the Azores, Madeira. It's a historic opportunity. But without funding from the European Union, the pact will remain a declaration of intent. We have to put our money where our mouth is. We have to subsidise the fisheries sector. There needs to be more investment.”
  Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
• “And there's no future for the environment without farmers being allowed to get on with their job of producing food. Looking at what the European Commission is producing here, there are certain key instruments. There are areas where there are currently losses and we need to help young farmers and new farmers particularly. So we need resilience, but we also need transparency with more agile mechanisms for member states to change their strategic plans, we need to respond rapidly to change without a need for a massive structural rethink every time, so that we're more agile and more rapid. And you don't really think agile and rapid when you think of the cap, do you haven't done so far. So this is what we really want to achieve. It's a very simple thing. We go back to speaking the language of the people who are working on the land, getting a policy that actually works on the ground. With the over 9 million European farmers who are out in the Azores, in the heart of the Atlantic, who are right up in the northern reaches of Greenland or in the desert wastes of Andalusia. And we will help all of them to get more income, to get more predictability for European agriculture. History is not written with promises. History is written with decisions. And we have a decision here today. We can approve this report and we can make these measures a reality. I'd like to conclude by thanking all of those who provided me with assistance and cooperation in this work, particularly the shadow rapporteurs. So thank you all for helping make this a reality.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Thank you very much. Dear colleagues, thank you very much for your contributions to this debate. We are talking about this proposal today. That opens up a path to negotiations with commission and Council. This will allow us to see these measures enter into force as early as the beginning of next year. Our farmers are in difficulties. They can't wait any longer. The green transition needs to be done together with farmers rather than against our farmers. That is why we want to see conditionality. It is important to be realistic. We need to help those places which are struggling the most. We need to avoid making these environmental targets meaningless. We have to stop deregulation now. Some people, uh, do not want to safeguard the cap, but we know what's important to the citizens. Around 92% of our citizens believe that agriculture and our rural areas are vital for the future, and 77% think that the cap is necessary for our food supply. Our citizens also believe that the cap is beneficial for the whole of society, and not just for farmers. So we need to be logical here. This is a test of credibility for the European institutions. We need to show that we are listening to those who, uh, work the land, and we need to show that we can produce conditions that are fair for farmers and to show common sense as well. We need to modernize without excluding anyone. We need to provide the right financing. And just one final word, a thank you to the shadow rapporteurs for the work that we have done and the constructive spirit in which we worked, which has allowed us to draft this report, which I hope will be voted tomorrow. Thank you.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Madam president, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, since the outset of the simplification of 2024, the second proposal for simplification, presented by the European Commission in May of 2025, aimed to respond to the appeals of farmers at the end of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of European Farming. I should like to begin that this is precisely what this proposal is not. It is not a magic wand that will resolve all problems in rural areas and income, for example. Nor will it be able to answer all of the challenges of those who sow the land. But it is an assistance. It is an aid, and an important one at that. Now, what we are working on this week is simplification of rules that too frequently became incomprehensible, contradictory and inoperable for those who work on a daily basis, the mandate that the European Parliament adopted was clear simplify effectively for national administrations, regional administrations and farmers, strengthen crisis response, and hit social and environmental objectives as set forth in the 2021 reform. That is precisely what we went into with these negotiations with three guiding principles simplifying what doesn't work, making sure the social environmental aspects more understandable and clearer, and look at subsidiarity without fragmenting the internal market with our common ambition. Now, the agreement that we came to with the Council, and that has been supported by essentially all of the political groups in the agri committee, is a tangible response to the demands made from the farmers from all corners of the European Union. It is not perfect, it is not total, but it is real. It is to give rural areas and farmers assistance in increasing the simplified payment for farmers from for 20 from 2500 to 3000 on a yearly basis.”
  Direct payments to farmers (pillar 1)
• “President. Commissioner. We've got air bases. We've got bases. Nato bases right across Europe. We can't be a transit point. We need to defend our interests. We need to defend our peoples and our values. Europe isn't going to defend itself by purchasing 27 times the same equipment or giving way to blackmail from other partners. We need more internal cohesion, a stronger policy, and stronger industry and harmonisation. Joint purchasing. Strategic training right across the European Union. No, we cannot neglect these gaps that exist and we cannot neglect our geography either. The Atlantic. The outermost regions, strategic places Bring together the union. They link up the union and they need more attention. Protecting the Atlantic is also about protecting Europe as a whole. Thank you.”
  EU competences on defence
• “Colleagues, Commissioner, a year ago when you spoke to us, when you were when you became commissioner, we knew you had a tough path ahead of you. But we were expecting solutions for farmers and the rural world. And now the question is, how did we get here? You said there would be no losers. No one would lose out. And now can you say this is a positive budget for farmers? If I turn to Portuguese farmers and European farmers, they're seeing a two digit drop in the budget. How can we say to farmers that that we're by their side when there's going to be less cohesion, there's going to be rivalries created between sectors and there will be asymmetries between territories. Please explain why you want to have 27 national policies, and why you will leave the poorest behind. What about support for outermost regions and areas with natural constraints? I want you to come up with concrete measures which will help the rural world and farmers. Thank you.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Mr. president. Thank you very much. Dear colleagues, today there are too many young people who want to be farmers, but they can't, and they can't because prices for production are skyrocketing. They're smothering bureaucracy, and the profession is not attractive. If we want to ensure generational renewal, the Cap needs to make clear commitments to a dignified income. And in the outermost regions, such as the Azores, agriculture is representative of unity and food sovereignty. T. We need measures to combat speculation and to ensure that young people can enter the profession. We need not only public funds, but also clear definition of rules for investment. Farming can only be attractive when it is fair, and for this we need to ensure that this is done in the context of the CFP reform. The new proposal for the Cap must provide a future for young farmers. Thank you.”
  Direct payments to farmers (pillar 1)
• “Thank you very much. As we've just heard, it is a very important dossier to simplify the agricultural sector and particularly the cap. First of all, we have to recognise the efforts of the European Commission and the efforts made by the shadows and the people from the Secretariat. Everybody has worked very well together and have come up with some sterling work. A number of events have been arranged since last year and it's important that we tackle the bureaucracy which plagues the cap. We should not have the same same measures being applied twice. We have to make sure that we value the work that's being done. Farmers want less paper and more comprehensible and applicable rules. Obviously, we are aware that measures have to be taken rapidly, but it should also be possible to apply these rules on the ground. But simplification is not the regulation, and it's not a way of taking the responsibility away from the European Commission. We want a more transparent CFP, which is closer to the farmer, but which also ensures the safety of our food supplies and the survival of consumers and farmers. So. We have to be aware that there are a lot of people who are involved in the farming sector, and that is the spirit of the amendments.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “And I'm speaking on behalf of the fishers and producers of agricultural products in the coastal regions and overseas regions of Europe, who have been completely excluded by the Commission in its draft MFF. Let me remind you, we're looking at budgetary cuts, which are more than 60%. No other policy has seen such a large Cut. It's even more bewildering if you see that the Commission has reduced the CFP to just one point in an article on agriculture. The CFP is not a sub policy of the agricultural policy. It is the exclusive competence of the union, and it's one of the pillars of European food security. It's of strategic importance for a maritime survival. The CFP needs a broader and more powerful instrument. And but we are diluting its importance. And in the most recent analysis of the damage caused by this is overwhelming. This is why we should amend this proposal. And we suggest a more responsible approach. Firstly, under its own heading, €7.5 billion for interventions in maritime areas and oceans and agriculture. Secondly, in heading three global Europe. We want 101,000 €500,000 for a specific budgetary line for ocean governance and partnership agreements for sustainable fisheries with for RF and the European Pact for the oceans. Here in the Parliament, we did send out a clear message that Europe will not abandon its maritime areas and will not abandon its fishers. There can be no doubt that this new architecture and the new proposal will not be successful, as we have seen in the Court of Auditors report. Listen to the warning signals sent out by the Court of Auditors by the Parliament. This proposal is not good enough, and we very much hope it will not pass very much.”
  Funding for fisheries and aquaculture
• “Thank you very much, chairman. Thank you for giving me the floor. And first of all, thank you very much for your excellent chairmanship. I've listened carefully to what all the colleagues had to say, and I've listened with interest to the commission. And what comes to mind is a Portuguese saying, which is that the better or the best is the enemy of the good? I think that's common to many of our languages. And I think we mustn't fall into that trap today. Either we stick to our entrenched positions, or which I think is what we should do. And what would appear to permeate everybody's contributions here this afternoon. Work towards a compromise, a genuine compromise, so that we can guide this work to a successful conclusion. This is what is really asked of us, and this is what our farmers need of us. And so that's what I think we should be doing. Just to conclude briefly, obviously simplification of the cap is many things. In one way, it's a response to the 2024 protests. In another way, it's a response to those who are directly engaged in employment in the rural environment. It isn't just a reform of the cap dressed up. It's much more than that. It's a commitment to dialogue, and it's a commitment on the part of elected representatives to genuine dialogue with the people in the sector. This is so important and therefore we need to engage in these discussions. We need to engage in the debate whilst at the same time recognising that if we're talking in terms of simplification.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “President, colleagues. Commissioner. Over the last few years, farmers have been making their voices heard on the streets and in the squares of Europe's big cities right outside this parliament, too. They've been very clear that they want to produce food with less duplication of paperwork, less red tape, stable regulatory environment, predictability for the people who put food on our tables. They're custodians of our landscape and they keep rural life going. It's not a rewrite of the cap, it's just making it simpler and more accessible. It may not be perfect, but if you look at what reality people are facing on the ground. It's better to have something now which will achieve something than to endlessly strive for something perfect. We want to gain in efficiency without sacrificing protection. So we ensure that public administrations are doing what they should do, which is to ensure that simple rules are applied properly, rather than having an endless kind of labyrinth in administration. Asking the same farmer to provide the same paperwork two or 3 or 4 times over. And if you simplify, you avoid mistakes. The whole thing happens more smoothly, payments come through quicker, and everybody gains in trust. Small and medium sized farms will have a simpler, more stable system better suited to the scale of their Our operations and more support for them. They don't want a mountain of red tape. They want a predictable environment for investment planning and continuation of their work. At the same time, we make it very clear that simplification does not equate with deregulation. There are fundamental concerns about. Dignity of work. Transparent standards. Transparent use of EU funds. It's just that we need a simpler system. And to put it very simple, there's no future for farmer farming without the environment.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Thank you. Dear shadow rapporteurs. Dear colleagues, it is important at this moment to recall. Why are we here today? We are here because of the farmers. We are here because we listen to what they told us before the elections and what they have continued to tell us ever since. We heard them in the streets of Brussels and across the Member States, it is vital to simplify the Common Agricultural Policy, to cut red tape, to eliminate redundancies, and to bring the rules closer to what happens on the ground. That was always been my commitment. The proposal is not perfect. None ever is. But in the short time we had, we have shown that it is possible to find common ground among the different political groups. And I thank you all for that. We have addressed many concerns and achieve, whenever possible, a solid compromise, one that simplifies without deregulating and gives back clarity, stability and time to those who work the land. After two years of hearing calls from the field to simplify the cap, failing to give farmers a vote of hope today by respecting all the compromise solutions that we achieve on the negotiation tables, would, I believe, undermine our political credibility. I therefore ask for your support in approving this responsible and urgent compromise which ensures simpler, proportionate and predictable rules. And I would like to end with my thanks to the colleagues, my fellow shadow rapporteurs, to the technical teams for the spirit of compromise and the serious work that was brought us here today. Thank you again very much.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Thank you. Chair. Commissioners. It is true with this single fund reduces funds for farming. Commissioner Hansen, if we look at your math, we are to believe that you will be able to do more with less. Less for farmers, less for fisheries, and will do more. This proposal cuts some billion for one member state, and less cap means less employment, less investment. And there will be more people fleeing the rural areas when it comes to Puisaye and the outermost regions. For Portugal, this is the backbone for farming in Madeira and the Azores. So I'd like to know clearly, can the Commission commit here to the fact that pose will be maintained as it is, and that there won't be internal competition amongst funds, and that there will not be a regionalisation of the cap. Thank you.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Thank you chair. I will speak in Portuguese. Thank you very much, sir. I would like to thank the court. Very clear presentation. Essentially, what we're doing looking at here is ensuring that agriculture can survive, especially in the outermost regions. But we're not looking here at sustainability and essentially the main source of support, but with levels of financing that have remained unchanged since 2003. However, production costs have gone up a lot. So in real terms, the support has gone down. In many sectors. The production costs are higher than the price people are getting for their products. And essentially then it's public support, which makes up the difference. And 70% of the support is concentrated in the traditional areas. So essentially we are limiting diversification and creation of additional value here. And also the court says that the outermost regions are more and more exposed to extreme climate events. And the current funding setup does not take stock of this, and it does not take stock adequately of climate change adaptation. Then there were recommendations to the commission here and how we can best help outermost regions. Looking at proposals for for agriculture and what to do with POS. So we need to make sure that we make good budgetary and good political decisions here. The support to outermost regions, especially undermines a cohesion, and it undermines farmers who are essentially ensuring our food sovereignty. So we need to look at these measures. If we cut farmers outside of per se, then essentially we're undermining the future of Europe. So without, um, decent, decent wages, you have no farmers. And without farmers, you don't have a production and you don't have cohesion either. So does the court think that the cuts actually compromise the territorial cohesion and economic and social objectives that we're setting ourselves? Thank you.”
  Agricultural funding