Marko VEŠLIGAJ

Policy topics Marko VEŠLIGAJ is active on

What Marko VEŠLIGAJ has said (48)

• 2026-07-14 “There are also the last in the value chain who are remunerated for their work. This model is not sustainable if we want to have a strong and resilient agriculture sector. In Europe, farmers are expected to be producers, environmentalists and they are expected to Who, um, weather out all the crises. And more often than not, they're not remunerated in the appropriate ways. There are some attempts to water down the Common Agricultural Policy in the Commission and in the Council, but I think that Parliament has stood up for a strong agricultural policy. And in this report, I am in favour of short circuits of cooperatives for modernisation, digitalisation of production capacities in agriculture, strong protection clauses in trade agreements, the application of same standards when it comes to imports and for programmes for young farmers and promoting gender equality in the entire sector and the ban on undercutting. In addition, we need better systems for prevention when it comes to climate change. There are problems when it comes to land. There are frauds. There are high bureaucratic obstacles. All these things, uh, put our farmers in a very difficult position. It is unfair that small and medium sized farmers feel the pressure of low buyout prices, and all the profit is concentrated at the end of the value chain.”
  EU policy on farmer–buyer relations in the agri-food supply chain
• 2026-07-14 “Thank you. First of all, I would like to thank all of my colleagues for the discussion. Thank you for the comments that you raised. I'm glad that many of you have said that this text is of good quality, that it is comprehensive, and that it gives a realistic snapshot of agriculture in the EU. I'm aware of all the issues that exist. Of course, when working on a report, there are certain limits in terms of the number of pages, and I'm aware that the text needs to be improved in some aspects and there will be some amendments. And so I cannot fully agree that certain aspects have not been covered. They will be introduced in the final text. I do invite you to submit your amendments. Of course, I'm aware that the deadline is quite tight, but I'm sure that given your knowledge and and your experience so far. You will give a very good input, and this will help us work on better inclusiveness and sustainability and resilience of this sector, which is really key for our food security and for security in general terms. Um, I'd like to thank you also for some specific ideas that were raised, such as the Competitiveness Fund. I am aware that the trade agreements that the EU enters into also affect the European agriculture. And I'm sure that we need to protect our farmers even more strongly in that respect. I look forward to continue working with you. And thank you once again for this discussion and for your comments. Thank you.”
  Agriculture (green)
• 2026-07-14 “Thank you very much, chair. I will speak on Croatian. Ladies and gentlemen, today I would like to present a text which is hopefully not just another legislative text, but a message that we would like to send out about the kind of agriculture we wish to have in the European Union. At times when agriculture is facing big challenges, it is important that our farmers, owners of big Agricultural farms and all young people who are considering to enter the profession. We want to send them a message that we are standing by them and that we understand them. As a rapporteur for this report, I am aware that we are currently already working on many legislative texts, and I see this text as complementary to this procedure. Furthermore, I see this report as an opportunity to touch upon some topics on which there is perhaps no consensus when it comes to legislative change, but I hope that this text can serve as a basis for our further work. The aim of this report is to clearly demonstrate that agriculture is not merely an economic activity, it is the basis of life in rural areas and resilience in Europe as such. This is why we need to speak about it as it is, without making things look better and with full understanding of the profession. Unfortunately, today they work in uneven conditions. They are the first to bear the brunt of climate change disturbances on the market, rising energy prices, rising fertiliser prices and so on.”
  Agriculture (green)
• 2026-07-14 “I can mention the situation in Croatia. A farmer has to send 15kg of wheat and this is worth just one like an ice cream. We. It is unfair that we constantly expect things from agriculture, from farmers, and they're not adequately paid. People do not have prospects, and they're still expected to feed us in Europe. This is why we need to talk about competitiveness. But competitiveness cannot translate into cutting standards, into transferring the risks on the producers and allowing for the biggest players in the value chain to dictate conditions to everyone else. It means that farmers have to invest and modernize their production and remain on their agricultural farms. We know that the market will not resolve all the unfair unfairness. We need a policy which understands that food is not just a commodity. We need a Europe that will stand by all its producers. And not just not just the mediators and those who are make the biggest profits. This is why this report highlights our competitiveness. A competitive agriculture, which is the basis for our success. I would also like to thank my team, Mattia, my colleague from the S&D team and everyone in the Secretariat. I look forward to your amendments, and I look forward to our further cooperation on this report. Thank you.”
  EU policy on farmer–buyer relations in the agri-food supply chain
• 2026-07-08 “If you want true strategic autonomy in the EU, we have to start from the basis of all economy, our natural resources and their sustainable use. Therefore, bioeconomy is not just a chance to grow, but it's strategically necessary and enables us not to be dependent on import and gives the answer to climate challenges. There, nature has a key role and transition has to be just here. We see it best in Croatia, Slovenia, Zagre, Major Lika and many other regions have huge potential to be centers for production of biomaterial, bioenergy and quality jobs. What we lack is not potential, but investments, modern infrastructure and strong European support. Therefore, we need ambitious European strategy, which will connect bioeconomy, farming, and development and show that, Europe can be strongest in its regions.”
  Cohesion and rural funding
• 2026-03-11 “Answer given by Mr Jørgensen on behalf of the European Commission 1.6.2026 Written question The Commission is currently not planning to establish a European Housing Agency. Wherever new EU initiatives are proposed, assignment to an existing institution, agency or body is in general favoured. In accordance with Better Regulation, any proposals to establish a new housing agency would need to be justified by an impact assessment analysing the effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, relevance, and EU added value including interaction with already existing agencies, as well as costs and financing, including the Commission’s capacity to provide for additional services. Regarding the coordination of housing policies at the EU level, the European Affordable Housing Plan [1] proposed to set up a European Housing Alliance to strengthen cooperation on housing at EU level, better coordinate actions and share best practices. This Alliance is currently being rolled out and will unite all levels of government — from cities and regions to national and European institutions, together with key housing stakeholders — to drive forward a shared commitment to ensure affordable, sustainable and quality housing for all. The Alliance complements existing tools such as the European Semester. [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52025DC1025.”
  EU housing policy
• 2026-02-23 “E-000753/2026 Answer given by Ms Minzatu on behalf of the European Commission Directive 2005/36/EC 1 facilitates free movement of professionals in the internal market by setting the rules for recognition of qualifications for access to a regulated profession in another Member State than the one where the qualifications were obtained. Certain professions, including midwives, benefit from automatic recognition based on minimum training requirements set out under Directive 2005/36/EC. Directive 2005/36/EC does not aim to fully harmonise training requirements for any profession. In line with Articles 165 and 166 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), Member States are responsible for the organisation of their education and training systems while full harmonisation is excluded regarding any EU supporting measures. Moreover, in line with Article 168(7) TFEU, Member States are responsible for the definition of their health policy and for the delivery of health services and medical care. To ensure that the EU level rules remain fit for purpose, the Commission may adopt delegated acts to update the minimum training requirements in the light of the generally acknowledged scientific and technical progress. In view of that objective and based on the results of a study 2 published in July 2025 and preceded by a thorough mapping of education and training requirements across the EU and broad stakeholder consultations, the Commission is looking into adopting a delegated act updating the minimum requirements for the profession of midwife in 2026, in compliance with its empowerment under the Directive. The Member States and the European Parliament will be duly involved in this process in compliance with Article 57c of the Directive. Any draft act will also be subject to public feedback on Have Your Say website 3 . 1 Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications, OJ L 255, 30.9.2005, p. 22–142 - https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2005/36/oj/eng. 2 https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/9585c119-5e0a-11f0-a9d0-01aa75ed71a1/language-en. 3 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say_en.”
  Gender roles, equality and inclusion · Sexuality and reproduction
• 2026-02-11 “Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission 5.5.2026 Written question The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) [1] lays down rules on personal data protection which apply to the processing of the sensitive personal electronic health data collected by health-tracking apps. Regarding the Honourable Member’s question on specific guidelines on the lawfulness of the processing, transparency and protection of data subjects’ rights, in the context of such apps, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) is tasked with issuing guidelines, recommendations and best practices for the consistent application of the GDPR. The GDPR fully applies to any processing of personal electronic health data undertaken within the framework of the European Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulation [2] . Furthermore, once applicable, the EHDS Regulation will set strong safeguards of security, confidentiality and personal data protection for the primary and secondary use of personal electronic health data. At Member State’ level, enforcement and oversight of the EHDS in the area of secondary use of personal electronic health data will be ensured through Member States’ health data access bodies (HDABs), which will monitor compliance with the EHDS Regulation and impose enforcement measures in the case where a non-compliance is established. In cases of potential GDPR breaches, HDABs must inform the competent national data protection authorities (DPAs) and share relevant information. DPAs and HDABs cooperate in enforcing the EHDS Regulation within their respective remits. Furthermore, the Commission funds projects dedicated to developing privacy-enhancing technologies and digital health tools [3] . [1] Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1), https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L:2016:119:TOC. [2] Regulation (EU) 2025/327 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2025 on the European Health Data Space and amending Directive 2011/24/EU and Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 (OJ L, 2025/327, 5.3.2025), https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/327/oj [3] Examples of funded projects include: Privacy compliant health data as a service for AI development https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101095384. Federated virtual twins for privacy-preserving personalised outcome prediction of type 2 diabetes treatment https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101136305.”
  Privacy & digital economy · Processing of health data
• 2026-02-11 “E-000597/2026 Answer given by Mr Jørgensen on behalf of the European Commission Post-disaster housing is not part of the European Affordable Housing Plan 1 . This Plan focuses on affordable, sustainable and quality housing solutions on long-term basis as a response to the housing crisis in the EU. It aims to help tackle the structural causes of this crisis by increasing housing supply, triggering investment and reforms, and supporting the people and the areas that are most affected. The Plan also shapes a new way in which EU institutions, national, regional and local governments, financial institutions and stakeholders can work together to address the housing crisis. In case a Member State is overwhelmed by a disaster, it may request temporary shelter assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). Temporary shelter capacities provided through the UCPM are often donated by the offering Member States during the response phase. For its own rescEU reserve of shelter items, the Commission notes that sustainability factors – such as the type and value of temporary shelters, which may justify retrieving and reusing them – should be considered, although operational conditions may not always allow their efficient reuse. Regarding funding for temporary accommodation following a natural disaster, the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) 2 may be activated at the request of the affected State. The EUSF may cover part of the costs of emergency and recovery operations incurred by public authorities, including the provision of temporary accommodation for the population concerned. According to EUSF Regulation, it is for the beneficiary State to decide how to spend the awarded assistance while respecting the relevant regulatory provisions. 1 https://housing.ec.europa.eu/european-affordable-housing-plan_en. 2 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.”
  EU competences on social policies · EU housing policy
• 2026-02-10 “E-000558/2026 Answer given by Mr Hansen on behalf of the European Commission This measure was proposed in order to stimulate generational renewal in agriculture which is central to the future of farming and Europe’s long term food security. Agriculture has one of the oldest workforces in Europe, with more farmers over 65 than under 40 years 1 , creating the need for urgent action. The European Parliament 2 also identified this as a priority issue to be addressed. Delayed retirement of farm managers has an impact on succession planning and modernisation of the sector. The Commission proposed to encourage a transition for older farmers, by requiring Member States to gradually exclude from Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) degressive area-based income support (DABIS) by 2032 farmers who have reached a pension age under national legislation and who receive a retirement pension 3 . But this applies only to DABIS and not to other forms of support under the new CAP. These requirements would apply equally in all Member States. The Commission encourages Member States to ensure proper, fair and reliable pension schemes within their social protection systems. Beneficiaries of the simplified payment for small farmers would not be affected by the proposed provision. The Commission has no data on the number of farmers that receive a retirement pension. Given the strong demand for land and the support for a new generation of farmers through the CAP, it is the Commission view that would create opportunities for new and young farmers introducing a new dynamism in the sector. 1 Analytical Brief N°10: Young farmers in EU agriculture : https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/document/download/2789cbe3-01dd-41ca-bacdf96fc3a014ce_en?filename=analytical-brief-10-youngfarmers_en.pdf?pk_source=newsletter&pk_medium=link&pk_campaign=analytical%20brief%2010. 2 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0376_EN.html - Generational renewal in the EU farms of the future - 19 October 2023. 3 CAP Proposal (COM(2025) 560 final), Art. 6(6).”
  Agricultural funding · Direct payments to farmers (pillar 1)
• 2026-02-10 “E-000569/2026 Answer given by Mr Hansen on behalf of the European Commission Grapevine Flavescence dorée phytoplasma (FD) is a Union quarantine pest 1 . Its main vector, Scaphoideus titanus, while not listed as such, is recognised as the main driver of FD spread in vineyards. Research and Innovation on FD and its vector can be supported under Horizon Europe, in particular Cluster 6 ‘Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment’, with dedicated opportunities in the Work Programme 2026-2027 2 . Under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 3 , Member States may support EIP-AGRI Operational Group (European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability) projects, financed through CAP Strategic Plans (2023-2027), to develop practice-oriented innovative solutions across a wide range of agricultural challenges. The Commissions has allocated around EUR 200 million in recent years for plant-healthrelated research and innovation under Horizon Europe. While no ongoing project focuses on FD and its vector, projects funded under the previous Framework programme for Research & Innovation – Horizon 2020 4 have addressed FD specifically, including VITISENS 5 (rapid in-field FD detection), TROPICSAFE 6 (diagnostic tools and resistance-related knowledge for grapevine yellows, including FD), and WINETWORK 7 (collection and sharing of scientific and practical knowledge). Several EIP-AGRI Operational Groups have directly targeted FD and S. titanus, such as RESISTO.FD 8 , FLAV.I.A 9 , MIDIFENDO 10 , Vacuum Bug 11 , FD.STOP 12 , GO Vite 13 , delivering improved detection and monitoring methods, decision‑support tools and integrated management strategies for vineyards. 1 Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2019/2072/oj. 2 European Commission Decision C(2025) 8493 of 11 December 2025: https://research-andinnovation.ec.europa.eu/document/download/44106caa-ed7a-42bf-ae57-aaab91778602_en. 3 Article 77, Regulation (EU) 2021/2115. 4 https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-opencalls/horizon-2020_en. 5 https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/262032. 6 https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/727459. 7 https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/652601. 8 https://eu-cap-network.ec.europa.eu/projects/resistofd-control-and-management-flavescence-doree-traditionalstrategies-resistant_en. 9 https://eu-cap-network.ec.europa.eu/projects/flavia-control-flavescence-doree-means-artificial-intelligence_en. 10 https://eu-cap-network.ec.europa.eu/projects/midifendouse-microorganisms-activating-grapevine-defensestowards-flavescence-doree-attack_en. 11 https://eu-cap-network.ec.europa.eu/projects/vacuum-bug-development-mechanical-process-adapted-vinescontributes-decrease-number-leaf_en. 12 https://eu-cap-network.ec.europa.eu/projects/fdstop-creation-networks-virtuous-and-economically-sustainablemanagement-flavescence_en. 13 https://eu-cap-network.ec.europa.eu/projects/innovative-strategies-sustainable-management-grapeviveyellows-govite_en.”
  Agricultural funding
• 2026-01-26 “E-000285/2026 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Fitto on behalf of the European Commission 1. Cohesion policy operates under shared management. Thus, Member States and the respective managing authorities are responsible for the implementation of the programmes and providing funding to beneficiaries. The managing authorities are in charge of launching calls for proposals and selecting operations, in line with each programme’s investment strategy. Municipal and regional authorities can apply for financing from cohesion policy programmes 1 . 2. Apart from the new specific objective ‘supporting investments aimed at reconstruction in response to a natural disaster that occurs between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2025’, Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction (RESTORE) did not change the scope of support under Regulation 2021/1058 2 . The managing authority ensures that the planned reconstruction investments in response to a natural disaster align with the new specific objective and the programme. Recital 5 of RESTORE Regulation 2024/3236 3 clarifies that reconstruction investments in response to natural disasters may cover the ‘restoration of damaged or destroyed infrastructure, such as public infrastructure (…)’. The total amount of EU funding mobilised under RESTORE is EUR 1.9 billion 4 . By way of more concrete examples, Member States allocated EUR 337 million to climate change adaptation, prevention, and management of climate-related risks, and EUR 265 million to the reconstruction and modernisation of roads. 1 https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/in-your-country/programmes_en. 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02021R1058-20250920. 3 : https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/3236/oj/eng. 4 As of 9 February 2026.”
  Cohesion and rural funding
• 2026-01-26 “E-000284/2026 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Fitto on behalf of the European Commission 1. Cohesion policy is the main EU funding source for climate adaptation and risk management. During the 2021-2027 period, support is granted to cities, municipalities and regional authorities 1 . Cohesion policy programmes for 2021-2027 include planned investments of more than EUR 18 billion in climate adaptation and disaster risk management (over EUR 14 billion in EU funding). More specifically, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) targets investments that are implemented based on integrated urban development strategies developed for cities and with their participation. This specific earmarking reaches almost 12% of the ERDF (more than EUR 24 billion) 2 . Several EU instruments complement adaptation efforts: EU Solidarity Fund 3 may help regions recover after major climate disasters; Recovery and Resilience Facility investments may include natural disaster preparedness actions; LIFE programme 4 , co-finances local and regional climate adaptation projects and nature-based solutions for risk prevention. 2. Cohesion policy funds do not directly target agricultural disease control. Their emphasis is on climate resilience, risk prevention and infrastructure adaptation to reduce climate-related stresses on agriculture. Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plans 5 support investments for appropriate preventive measures and restoration of agricultural potential following outbreaks. Risk management tools and relevant sectoral interventions, including in the wine sector 6 , can help farmers manage disease-related risks and climate adaptation. The recent Wine Package 7 aims, among others, to prevent the spread of vine pests. 1 Examples include the development of local or regional climate adaptation strategies and risk management plans, climate hazard mapping and local resilience frameworks. 2 All amounts available in the Cohesion Open Data Platform on 01.02.2026, Open Data Portal for the European Structural Investment Funds : https://cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu/funds/erdf/21-27. 3 Inforegio - EU Solidarity Fund: https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funding/solidarity-fund_en. 4 The Programme for the Environment and Climate Action: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/life_en. 5 https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/cap-my-country/cap-strategic-plans_en. 6 For example: restructuring and conversion of vineyards. 7 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM:2025:137:FIN.”
  Cohesion and rural funding
• 2026-01-23 “E-000264/2026 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission The Commission adopted its proposal for a Regulation on plant reproductive material 1 on 5 July 2023. The Commission’s proposal, in Article 32, provides for a derogation that facilitates early access to market, rather than a delay in the marketing of new vegetable varieties. According to that Article, and for a period of up to three years following the application for registration of a variety, seeds of that variety can be provisionally produced and marketed under certain conditions before the final registration of the variety. As these provisions are very similar to provisions already existing under the current legislation 2 , no impact assessment was carried out specific to them. The European Parliament and the Council adopted their position at first reading respectively on 24 April 2024 and on 10 December 2025. The trilogues on this proposal are currently ongoing. 1 Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the production and marketing of plant reproductive material in the Union, amending Regulations (EU) 2016/2031, 2017/625 and 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Council Directives 66/401/EEC, 66/402/EEC, 68/193/EEC, 2002/53/EC, 2002/54/EC, 2002/55/EC, 2002/56/EC, 2002/57/EC, 2008/72/EC and 2008/90/EC (Regulation on plant reproductive material) COM/2023/414 final. 2 Commission Decision 2004/842/EC of 1 December 2004 concerning implementing rules whereby Member States may authorise the placing on the market of seed belonging to varieties for which an application for entry in the national catalogue of varieties of agricultural plant species or vegetable species has been submitted ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2004/842/oj.”
  Sustainable use of seeds in EU policy
• 2026-01-13 “Answer given by Mr Jørgensen on behalf of the European Commission 23.3.2026 Written question The European Affordable Housing Plan [1] refers to the current multiannual financial framework (MFF) when it says that the EU is already mobilising at least EUR 43 billion housing related investment. This amount includes [2] the Recovery and Resilience Facility (EUR 19.6 billion for housing investments and reforms); Cohesion Policy (EUR 10.4 billion for energy efficiency and social housing, and at least EUR 1.5 billion to reprogramme Cohesion funds under the Mid-term review); the European Social Fund+ (EUR 4.4 billion); the InvestEU Fund (approximately EUR 7 billion mobilised by December 2025 to foster public and private investment through an EU budget guarantee, as well as EUR 25 million by December 2025 for local project development support via the InvestEU Advisory Hub); the LIFE programme (EUR 138 million by December 2025 for market uptake and capacity building activities related to housing); Horizon Europe (EUR 540 million by December 2025 for housing-related research and innovation). The future MFF 2028-2034 is under negotiation by the co-legislators. At this stage, it is not possible to indicate specific amounts for housing, nor those directly available to local governments. The distribution of funds will depend on the agreed MFF architecture and internal governance arrangements of the Member States. Member States should coordinate with regional and local authorities to tailor housing reforms and investments to local needs, while the Commission will work to simplify local access to EU resources [3] . [1] COM(2025) 1025 final. [2] Question and answers on the European Affordable Housing Plan, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_25_3049. [3] Inforegio — EU Agenda for Cities 2025/https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/information-sources/publications/communications/2025/eu-agenda-for-cities-2025_en.”
  EU housing policy
• 2025-07-01 “E-002663/2025 Answer given by Mr Šefčovič on behalf of the European Commission The EU is the world’s largest wine producer and exporter. The Mercosur block is a comparatively smaller wine producer and exporter, and its domestic market is highly protected by import tariffs. Therefore, wine is one of the agricultural products for which the EU is expected to benefit the most from free trade agreements, and notably from the one with Mercosur. In that respect, this trade agreement would represent an excellent opportunity for the EU wine sector to enhance and diversify its exports, rather than being a threat for the EU wine market. This judgement is shared by most stakeholders of the EU wine sector, who largely support the EU-Mercosur agreement, and is confirmed by a recent economic study carried out by the Commission 1 , even though, in this study, results for wine are generally aggregated with other beverages and tobacco products. 1 Commission’s Joint Research Centre ‘Cumulative economic impact of upcoming trade agreements on EU agriculture’, https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and-updates/new-trade-agreements-resultpositive-cumulative-impact-eu-agri-food-trade-balance-2024-02-22_en.”
  Import of agri-food products in the EU · Trade relations with Mercosur
• 2025-02-19 “P-000751/2025 Answer given by Mr Hansen on behalf of the European Commission The Communication on a Vision for Agriculture and Food 1 recognises the challenging situation of the EU wine sector and announces that the Commission will advance towards the implementation in 2025 of the recommendations of the High-Level Group on Wine endorsed by its 27 members in December 2024 2 . A first block of recommendations is aimed at improving the management of the production potential in line with the evolution of demand. Grubbing-up schemes financed by national funds are considered as one of the tools to address oversupply in specific regions and market segments. Member States implementing a grubbing up scheme should ensure coherence with other measures and avoid negative spillover economic, social or environmental effects. Two other blocks of recommendations address the need to strengthen the resilience of the wine sector facing climate change and shifting market conditions as well as to adapt the sector to new market trends and opportunities. The most urgent and sector-specific recommendations will be implemented swiftly through a specific legislative proposal that will be adopted in the coming weeks. 1 https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/vision-agriculture-food_en 2 https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/media/news/high-level-group-wine-outlines-policy-recommendations-futureeu-wine-sector-2024-12-17_en”
  Agricultural funding
• “Thank you. Chair. I'd like to say a few words with regard to the bilateral safeguard clauses. I agree with the colleagues, of course, that we are worried how this will affect the entire agriculture in Europe. However, if I understood this correctly, these mechanisms could be activated in case of the price of the product and the volume. However, is there anywhere in this regulation safeguard clause pertaining to the equal standards of production? We were listening to the commissioners, for example, Hansen and Shevchuk, and they emphasized that they will not allow. Weather. When the products are imported that do not adhere to our standards that they will not allow this. However, I do not see this contained in this regulation. For example, when it comes to sugar beets there are 30 substances in Brazil that are actually banned here in Europe. Thank you.”
  Import of agri-food products in the EU
• “Yes. Uh, colleague Glavac. You're not right. When it comes to the EU average, we're very close to the, uh, pay gap. Average pay gap in Croatia. You know very well what the situation is like in Croatia. As regards the purchasing power of our pensioners, the situation in Croatia is one of the worst. It is a disgrace that you even talk about this in these terms. Thank you.”
  EU policy on aging workforce and pensions
• “Thank you. Dear colleagues in Europe, housing units are 57% of the income, household wealth and their lack of security for the future. At the same time, 30% of Europeans believe that they will never be able to afford their own home. In my country, Croatia. The research I've conducted showed that the situation is even worse. 70% of young people cannot afford to buy or rent an apartment. And how could they when the average salary is around €1,500? While the average price of the per square meter is €1,600. The problem is lack of public housing. The countries are not planning long term, but they are providing incentives for for private investors, this is a running away from responsibility. The state is the one that has to guarantee a roof over our heads. And this cannot be left in the hands of private investors. I will repeat once again, home is a right and not a luxury.”
  EU housing policy
• “Thank you very much. I would like to thank you for all the data that you have presented. I would just like to share a brief comment with you. We've heard a lot, and we have to digest that. But one thing is, sure, based on everything we've heard, we would need a commentary on public spending, how much public money has been spent. And for example, when it comes to GDP, share How much of public money has been used? Why am I talking about this? Well, it seems clear to me that it is the private sector that is the major funding force behind this. And perhaps we should think about housing as a source of profit that should be somehow tackled. We have a new commissioner for housing in the European Commission, and it has been said so far that there will be some guidelines for member states. I hope that in one of your future studies, you will be able to work on that as well. A lot of work has to be done, and unfortunately, the data we see is still not at a sufficiently desirable level that we would like to see if perhaps you could share some more information about rural areas. I would be very interested in that because I come from a rural area. Are there some differences that there? Are there some achievements there and specificities regarding rural population? Thank you.”
  EU housing policy
• “Thank you chair. I will speak in Croatian. Commissioner, thank you for coming to our meeting. I've been following your work since the since the beginning of this term. And I'm aware that you're facing numerous challenges. I'm also aware that your task in the commission is not easy. I would just like to comment very briefly. Your, um, answers from the questions from the first round. I'm sorry that, uh, the strategy did not meet our ambitions, but we said it ourselves. We cannot expect new legislation. I'm saying this because the European Parliament is very ambitious, and we expected the Commission to be equally ambitious. But I do understand your Restrictions. I have only two questions for you. A new European care deal has been announced. Could you tell us more about this? And is the Commission planning some funds from the Multiannual Financial Framework? And the second question is about the initiative, my voice, my choice, in which phase is the answer of the Commission and what can we expect?”
  Sexuality and reproduction
• “Do you believe that these national plans in the new MFF should, uh. Mff should have the territorial chapters where the roles and priorities of the local Self-governments would be defined precisely because of the reasons I have already mentioned. I.e., to efficiently use the funds to decrease the territorial gaps and to secure that these funds are distributed and allocated, uh, justly. I have just said I was a mayor and in Croatia we designed a system of allocating the funds. In which we. Had a set of criteria, for example, for certain areas like mountainous regions and so on. And through this mechanism, uh, we had, um, 20 largest cities, which are also the, uh, the capitals of our regions. And this is how we allocated the funds. However, what was the issue? 40% of, uh, the, uh, local municipalities were not, uh, in the I.t mechanism and they were not able to get the European funds. This was very unjust because, uh, some got the money directly and the others had to apply to calls and tenders and so on. So once you apply for a call, you never know how that is going to get, uh, end up and whether you will get the funds or not. So I believe that we need to warn the member states to take more care about this being just.”
  EU cohesion/structural-fund architecture: consolidation vs ring-fenced separate funds
• “(11:51:11 – 11:53:52): You very much. Thank you to the panelists who are here with us. I think we will all agree that the economic and housing crisis is not just a matter of economy, but of social fairness and the future of our youth in Europe. And we have heard that from the speakers because, young people are delaying getting getting families and, leaving houses and leaving homes and so on. In Croatia, the situation is really bad. 70% of the young people cannot afford to buy their own apartment and are unable to pay the rent. Unfortunately, in Croatia, young people, stay in their family homes, until, they are 31 on the average. And also, the latest analysis have shown that Croatia is lagging, when it comes to the availability of student accommodation. The student accommodation that we have covers, only 10% of the actual needs. So as a tourist country, we are also facing the problem of, students in private accommodation having to leave, their flats at the outset of the summer season, of the tourist season because, the owners want to earn more money from short term rentals. We have to recognize that housing for young people is a priority. We have to regulate the market, have sustainable housing models because letting the market have their way with the young people will just make the housing crisis in Europe even deeper, and the market cannot be more important than the fundamental right to housing. I have a question that I would like to ask. Having heard of your presentations, which specific measure would you introduce now to make housing more affordable and accessible to the young people in the next 5 years? So which would be the very concrete measure? Today, we were talking about student accommodation. We can focus on that, But I would like us to, take into account the entire young population, which, is not composed only of students. Thank you.”
  EU housing policy
• “To begin with, I would like to thank all the experts who have joined us today. The topic of public private partnership and activating private resources is very important given the housing crisis in Europe. And this is why we need to discuss all of these issues. I would like to know how to maintain the focus on the public interest when we speak about housing. I believe that most of you will agree that the housing policy, in its essence, should be based on the principle that the right to housing is a basic, fundamental human right. It mustn't be determined by private interest market trends or speculations. Successful pgps need to meet certain criteria. Some of them have been mentioned. Conditions. Regulation. Transparency. Clear public interest and the focus on the aspect of affordability. Perhaps it might sound as utopia to many of our citizens, because nowadays we are faced with a situation where the focus is on. Generating profit. Uh, which is why. The gap is increasing between different groups of our citizens. And that is why we need to define the The rules and vouch for affordability and public responsibility. We should prevent a situation where the profit will be the only criterion. It would be very interesting to hear from you whether it is possible to have some specific instruments for control when we mobilise private capital for this purpose. What can we do? Which conditions might we impose to the private sector? Of course, using the instruments at our disposal. But our main goal is to achieve affordable housing. Thank you.”
  EU housing policy
• “Thank you very much, chair. It's very interesting to see what we've got to say. Uh, but, uh, investment, uh, is supposed to be a new area of funding, but it doesn't seem to be an extensive amount of funding. Do you think the, um, money available for investment is going to be enough? Uh, and then if we look at rural areas, they deserve more funding. Uh, that's what they deserve. So I think it could potentially be harmful if we remove the second pillar and completely get rid of the second pillar. You know, in my native Croatia were also affected by, uh, African swine fever and were previously unaffected by it. Are we going to get support for that? And then if we look at our vineyards, they're also affected by new diseases. Are there going to be measures under the new cap, which will force the member states to provide compensation to farmers in the event of a disease, and also ought to be focused on preventative measures? Otherwise, our farmers and our agriculture could lose out. Thank you very much. Commission is going to have one single fund.”
  Agricultural funding
• “Thank you. The cap is a key pillar when speaking about European food security, about our future of our production and the sustainability of agriculture. It plays a key role in maintaining the rural areas, but now all of this is under threat. If the announcements of the commission regarding merging the Cape with other financial instruments come true. This is not a review or coordination. This is not a technical issue. This is a decision which, if carried out, will endanger our agriculture and also our consumers. And this is all coupled with the Mercosur agreement where the agriculture is linked to other sectors. And this threatens the sustainability of European agricultural production. So I appeal to the Commission not to endanger one of the most important politics policies for the European Union and to secure a single and stable budget for the European agricultural policy, because we need it.”
  Agricultural funding
• “In Croatia in 2026, women earn on average 13% less than men do. When it comes to pensions, the difference is more than 23%. For the same number of years they have worked, women receive less. This is not a new thing. This is not something that cannot be solved. This is a consequence of a system that encourages gender stereotypes and blocks women from progressing. Who is responsible institutions, but also employers, because we all have a responsibility in fighting against gender discrimination and in improving equality and not protecting those who are privileged. The directive on the transparency of pay is a good thing, but we need to focus on full implementation. Without adequate transposition into national legislation, we will not move ahead. We will not move forward in the labour market and achieving equality. Thank you.”
  Gender pay transparency
• “Thank you very much. In Croatia, the youngest member of the EU. As much as 21.7% of the population live in risk of poverty or social exclusion. This is about 800,000 people. So what we need to say is that poverty does not strike all areas equally. Smaller, rural, less developed areas are more exposed to risk in the coming period. Why is this so? Because in the new Multiannual Financial Plan, cohesion and Common Agricultural Policy will receive less money and it will be less money for rural development, infrastructure, social inclusion, and exactly there where it's needed most. I think this is unacceptable, and I believe that European fight against poverty must have a strong social component. Social protection and funds should be distributed to cities and regions that are most at risk. Thank you.”
  Cohesion and rural funding
• “Thank you. For now. On the first look. It is very difficult to grasp the consequences of these changes. But out of all the announcements, it's very disappointing to hear that the fight to keep the agricultural policy as a standalone budget and the instrument has failed, and we are losing 20% of funds. Second pillar has disappeared. And I think this is extremely dangerous for the small countries like Croatia, where agricultural production is based on the small farmers present in the rural areas and who has seen nothing for them. So please, Commissioner, can you clarify how rural development now will be financed, through which instruments and how will we guarantee these communities don't lose out in this new competition for the merged funds. More broadly, rural development and the Cap are interconnected connected, they strength each other. This with this proposal. Both are weakened. Thank you.”
  Agricultural funding
• “But most of all, I would like to thank our colleagues from the Court of Auditors for their presentation. I can say that their opinion confirms what we've warned against in both the committees and agree there is a risk of centralization, of the reduction of visibility for cohesion policy, for agricultural policy and access to funds is made more difficult. What is particularly concerning is the simplification announced because it pertains mostly to member states and the European Commission, and I don't really understand how this will concretely reduce administrative burden for end users, for small farmers, for small and medium enterprises, and for regions, because if we don't reduce the administrative burden for those, we will use a lot of funds, spend a lot of funds without helping those that we are trying to help. We need to simplify things for the beneficiaries.”
  Conditions to access EU budget
• “Thank you very much, chair. I will speak on Croatian. First of all, I'd like to thank the experts for this study. I apologize for coming too late. I had other obligations, uh, at other committees. However, I have studied all the materials that we have received very carefully, and I believe that the cohesion policy is crucial for securing, uh, certain services, especially in rural or less developed areas. The data show that, uh, the entire European budget for the rural areas, um, get less, uh, funds. Uh, despite the population, we know that, uh, 85% of the budget, uh, is given, um, to this, these areas. So I believe that the key role is the role of the local government. I was a mayor for 12 years of a smaller city in Croatia. So I'm well, uh, acquainted with the challenges that these smaller areas face. So we need to have the community. It is very important to plan the European funds. And also it is very important to you to implement these funds efficiently, particularly when it comes to the infrastructure or social services, uh, territorial development generally speaking. So, um, from our experience, we have, uh, a low level of, uh, funds. This shows that we need to have a better territorial approach that would systematically include the units of local government in this process of planning and the implementation. I also have a question for you. Perhaps it has been answered already. Still, I would like to ask my question.”
  Cohesion and rural funding
• “Thank you. When we talk about Mercosur, we have to take into consideration the specificities of certain countries like Croatia, where most of the agricultural, uh, farmers are small farms. So those who, uh, raise animals, uh, also, viniculture, uh, we are opening a large, uh, a large market for the wine industry of a big area, the area of Mercosur. We are going to be probably flooded with cheap wines of dubious quality from Latin America and us. And the wine sector are now is now, uh, are now facing a big, big problems like pests. And this can really affect big affect small companies in Croatia that wants to develop its autochthonous sorts of wine.”
  Trade relations with Mercosur
• “In Croatia in 2026, women earn on average 13% less than men do. When it comes to pensions, the difference is more than 23%. For the same number of years they have worked, women receive less. This is not a new thing. This is not something that cannot be solved. This is a consequence of a system that encourages gender stereotypes and blocks women from progressing. Who is responsible institutions, but also employers, because we all have a responsibility in fighting against gender discrimination and in improving equality and not protecting those who are privileged. The directive on the transparency of pay is a good thing, but we need to focus on full implementation. Without adequate transposition into national legislation, we will not move ahead. We will not move forward in the labour market and achieving equality. Thank you.”
  Gender pay transparency
• “Mrs.. Commissioner, colleagues, there are more than 9 million farms in the EU today. More than 93% of them are family owned. These people who make sure that we have stable food supply are facing increasing costs. It is estimated that they earn 20 to 25% of the final retail price, according to research. A significant portion of the producers has reported utps. This is precisely why this legal framework is important as it enables the cooperation between the member states. However, the most detrimental practice is still the sale of agricultural products below the production price, particularly in the sector where income is already lower than the average salary when compared to the rest of the economy. This is the case in Croatia. Our family farms are the fundament of the local production and survival of the rural areas. We need to introduce a ban on the sale of agricultural products below the production price. We also need to introduce protection mechanisms, i.e. a minimum product price. Europe, which protects the market, must protect those who feed this market. Thank you.”
  EU policy on farmer–buyer relations in the agri-food supply chain
• “Thank you. Studies show that girls are more often victims of cyber bullying than boys. So it is thought that every third girl is victim of some kind of cyber bullying, most often on social media. This the this data show very clearly that we should really Studied the gender aspect of cyber bullying. We should also stress the responsibility of platforms. They should take away all the. Content that is harmful. Ignoring such kind of responsibility means consciously allowing digital bullying. And we who are here should clearly send the following message. We should prevent it and we should act.”
  Digital platforms liability for harmful and illegal content
• “Yes. Uh, colleague Glavac. You're not right. When it comes to the EU average, we're very close to the, uh, pay gap. Average pay gap in Croatia. You know very well what the situation is like in Croatia. As regards the purchasing power of our pensioners, the situation in Croatia is one of the worst. It is a disgrace that you even talk about this in these terms. Thank you.”
  EU policy on aging workforce and pensions
• “Thank you. Chair. Dear Mr. Jensen, First of all, I would like to wish you the best of luck in the upcoming Danish presidency. As you already said, we live in a world full of tensions. And I understand the need to seek the new markets and the allies. When it comes to the Mercosur agreement, I must say it's far from the ideal, especially for the European farmers, because as long as we do not have the effective protection mechanism in place, such as mirror clauses, which could ensure the agricultural products from Mercosur countries enter the European market under equal standards and conditions. As we produce our European products, we cannot speak of the fair or acceptable agreement. So that's my question or comment, and I hope the Danish presidency will recognise this as a priority and highlight this clearly. Thank you very much.”
  Trade relations with Mercosur
• “Yes. Uh, colleague Glavac. You're not right. When it comes to the EU average, we're very close to the, uh, pay gap. Average pay gap in Croatia. You know very well what the situation is like in Croatia. As regards the purchasing power of our pensioners, the situation in Croatia is one of the worst. It is a disgrace that you even talk about this in these terms. Thank you.”
  EU policy on aging workforce and pensions
• “Thank you very much chair. I will I will speak on the Croatian uh browser volumes. Uh similar in presentation.First of all, thank you all for the presentations. Uh, I come from Croatia, which every year has been faced with numerous natural disasters. We are now in the season of wildfires. Croatia also had floods. I come from the rural area of Croatia. For 12 years I was the mayor of a small town, and we were often hit by storms which damaged crops and public infrastructure as well as homes. Then we had landslides, huge landslides, and like some other colleagues, I would like to point out, uh, the uh, time, uh, needed because, uh, very often these funds take too long to reach the local level. Therefore, we should open up lines towards the local level and work on enabling, uh, funds for a smaller, uh, self government, uh, units which don't have their own resources. And also, we need to pay special attention to the future MFF and civil protection. Uh, I would like to point out fire fighters who are the only ones intervening when there was a natural disaster in Croatia. Therefore, they need more equipment and more funds in order to be able to respond on time. Uh, and of course, we should work on prevention at every possible moment. Thank you.”
  Cohesion and rural funding · EU cohesion/structural-fund architecture: consolidation vs ring-fenced separate funds
• “Well. Thank you, Madam President. The consequences of this war are manifold. However, one group that has been affected by them are farmers. The fertilizers have been very important in agriculture and the prices have exploded. This has particularly affected small farms. The situation is clear. Europe is dependent on the imports of fertilisers, and price hikes contribute to higher prices of production and thus higher food prices. However, our farmers in Croatia, and I'm certain in other European countries, do not want to raise their prices. They are looking for subsidies so they could continue producing healthy and local food at affordable prices for our citizens in order to make this possible. We need to secure financial measures for fertilisers and to boost local production. This is a matter of our food security. And without food security, there is no global security. We need to act urgently. I welcome the announcements of the Commission colleagues. If we do not protect our farmers today, tomorrow we will not have the food.”
  Use of fertilisers
• “(12:09:46 – 12:11:10): D Agri. Please. Thank you, chair. The proposed single European mega fund for the next multi annual financial frameworks risk concentrating power, reducing transparency, and weakening support for farmers and the rural communities. Colonel's plans point to significant real term cuts to both the common agricultural policy and cohesion funding, meaning less money for those who need it the most. European farmers and local mayors have already warned that measuring funds into 1 large envelope will dilute support with less reaching small farms and the local projects. The megaphone risks risks replacing targeting investment with broad, less accountable spending. The commission calls this more flexibility, but flexibility in Brussels does not guarantee better results on the ground. While simplification may help institutions, experts such as European Court of Auditors warn that the impact on final beneficiaries remains unclear. At the same time, concentrating resources in megafund increases risks of bureaucratic capture and corruption. Cases in countries like Russia shown how euro funds can be mismanaging when European oversight is weak. European budget must remain targeted, transparent, and fair, not diluted through the oversights and OPEC mega fund. Thank you.”
  Agricultural funding
• “But most of all, I would like to thank our colleagues from the Court of Auditors for their presentation. I can say that their opinion confirms what we've warned against in both the committees and agree there is a risk of centralization, of the reduction of visibility for cohesion policy, for agricultural policy and access to funds is made more difficult. What is particularly concerning is the simplification announced because it pertains mostly to member states and the European Commission, and I don't really understand how this will concretely reduce administrative burden for end users, for small farmers, for small and medium enterprises, and for regions, because if we don't reduce the administrative burden for those, we will use a lot of funds, spend a lot of funds without helping those that we are trying to help. We need to simplify things for the beneficiaries.”
  EU cohesion/structural-fund architecture: consolidation vs ring-fenced separate funds
• “Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, Commissioner, I will be brief. Your plan, uh, focuses on, uh, the existing instruments without any, uh. Concrete measures, uh, for affordable housing. Uh, I would like to see more measures for, uh, different rural areas and for the youth. We talked about empty apartments, but we should also talk about empty houses in rural areas with poor energy performance, which have to be reconstructed completely. This is an issue that in Croatia is significant. There's also legal issues connected to it. So we should have a clear support and clear framework from EU, EU member states and also clear rules for local and regional areas. So I think you should also take this into account when it comes to family houses, not just city apartments.”
  EU cohesion/structural-fund architecture: consolidation vs ring-fenced separate funds
• “Thank you. Chair. I'll speak in Croatian. Today we've heard a lot of information that I won't repeat now, but you probably know all about it. The growth of real estate prices in the entire EU that impacts the youth most. Uh, more than one quarter of persons, uh, of 25 years old, live in overcrowded households in Croatia. These challenges are even bigger. One research has shown that 40% of young people cannot afford to rent or buy an apartment, and average age when they leave, uh, the parental home is the highest in the EU. A question has been mentioned. I don't want to repeat it, but I'd like to hear some comments. Uh, how to find the solutions? Should we find solutions in rural areas? I think they could be a good alternative for living if all the conditions are met, and with funds to be directed in solving the crisis of housing through social, uh, apartments and, uh, and, uh, the stocks in rural areas.”
  EU housing policy
• “In Croatia in 2026, women earn on average 13% less than men do. When it comes to pensions, the difference is more than 23%. For the same number of years they have worked, women receive less. This is not a new thing. This is not something that cannot be solved. This is a consequence of a system that encourages gender stereotypes and blocks women from progressing. Who is responsible institutions, but also employers, because we all have a responsibility in fighting against gender discrimination and in improving equality and not protecting those who are privileged. The directive on the transparency of pay is a good thing, but we need to focus on full implementation. Without adequate transposition into national legislation, we will not move ahead. We will not move forward in the labour market and achieving equality. Thank you.”
  Gender pay transparency
• “Thank you, Mr. Chair. Simplification of procedures and reduction of administrative burden is of key importance for our farmers on the field. I daily hear the same thing. Too much paperwork, too much rules. Not enough understanding for actual life in the field. Our people want to work in the field, in the barn, in the vineyard, and not fill out paper forms in Croatia because of bureaucracy. The vineyard sector only manages to use 50% of the funds. Tenders are being changed overnight. There are no clear instructions and we are forcing people out of the fields. And besides all this, the commission is announcing less funds in the cap. I believe this is a dangerous route. If we want strong European agriculture producing quality food, we need to detach the farmers from paperwork and give a stronger work to cooperatives, local activists, local and regional governments because the documents that we are about to vote on tomorrow do go in a good direction. I will support them. But our farmers need less paperwork, more support and more respect. Thank you.”
  Agriculture (green)
• “Thank you. Today, have a decent apartment that would be affordable for many is a luxury in Croatia. 70% of young people are not able to afford to buy a flat. That is why I would welcome the adoption, the European plan for affordable housing. But we should be stronger and more determined. We need more finances, more means to invest in housing, be it in the multi annual financial program. We do have to give support to young people. It's good to mention students, but there are young people who are not students, who live in rural areas, and they are not often mentioned in this plan for affordable housing, housing. And to conclude, if we want flats for all, then we have to have as a key ally, local and regional authorities.”
  EU housing policy