(Jan. 10) – The negotiations on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union get to the finale stage. The Alpine regions, including Trentino, intend to create more favorable conditions for mountain farmers. Before voting in the European Parliament and the Council next spring, (the agriculture committee in the European Parliament will also vote on January 23 and 24), Alpine regions wanted to clarify their position to the commissioner for agriculture, Dacian Ciolos, and the chairman of the agriculture Committee, Paolo De Castro, during a meeting held at the HQ of the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria in Brussels, which was also attended by the commissioner for agriculture and forests of the Autonomous Province of Trento, Tiziano Mellarini, together with the general director Paolo Nicoletti and sector’s operators. “I’ve heard important words from commissioner Ciolos, right in the direction we hoped for: less bureaucracy, more support for young people and small businesses, specific labels for mountain products, support to part-time farmers,” said Mellarini at the end of the meeting. “We hope, however, that the prediction of a 17-18 million euro cut on EU budget announced by De Castro does not occur or at least not that big, on order to achieve many of the projects we have. Trentino, South Tyrol and Tyrol, which have created an Alpine Euroregion, on the other hand, want to strengthen their cooperation through the launch of partnerships on specific projects related to agriculture in common areas, which also appear in the new legislation proposed by the Commissioner himself”.(red)
