In an extensive interview with the Italian Democratic party MEP, Paolo de Castro, Linkiesta magazine explores the issue of the CAP, and the need and impact of Next Generation EU funding on Italian farmers:
Original title: “The art of mediation: The EU Parliament’s plan for agriculture is ambitious and sustainable, says Paolo De Castro”
The Democratic Party MEP, Paolo de Castro, explains that, from January 2021, at least 1.2 billion of the Next Generation EU funding will be made available to Italian farmers. But he also talks about the agreement to protect geographically identified food in China, and the risk of the Nutri-Score for Italian products.
Last week the European Parliament achieved an important result: from January 1, 2021 Italian farmers will receive 1.22 billion euros of the Next Generation EU funding. Agriculture is the first component to go into the negotiation stage. Italy will be able to receive this part of the 208.8 billion euros immediately and will not be required to wait until mid-2021 as will be the case for the rest of the plan’s funds. This agreement reached with the EU Council of Ministers is also partly thanks to MEP Paolo De Castro, who served as rapporteur for the European Parliament.
“In theory, the new Common Agricultural Policy that will come into force on 1 January 2023 will allow for very articulated negotiation on the EU budget. But it makes no sense to wait until 2023 because the Next Generation EU funds allocated to rural development are needed right now by farmers to mitigate the effects of the economic crisis,” explains De Castro. “Of the 10 billion euros that will arrive, 8 will come from the Next Generation EU, while another 2.6 billion have been previously allocated by the Commission. Italy will receive 1.22 billion euros. But in reality they will be 2.4 billion euros because of mandatory 50% co-financing. Then, if they want, the States can give more”.