Spain pushes for a swift, EU-wide solution for farmers and rural areas

The agriculture minister of Spain arrived in Brussels to signpost a clear objective: Europe must deliver a new, broad pact for its farmers and rural areas. At the European Union’s Council meeting on agriculture, ministers gathered to scrutinize proposals from the European Commission aimed at easing environmental requirements under the Common Agricultural Policy and reducing pressure on the sector. The minister, Luis Planas, acknowledged that trust among stakeholders has frayed and that restoring it requires delivering a robust European response to farmers and ranchers, a response that must be felt across the Union (source: official remarks). He emphasized that a unified, effective European solution is the key to addressing this continental challenge (source: ministerial briefing). The government’s stance centers on three main pillars that reaffirm environmental goals while seeking practical relief for farmers under the CAP (source: policy briefing).