The difficult geopolitical environment in which the negotiations on the CAP 2028-2034, are taking place was referred to in his introductory speech by the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Margaritis Schinas, at the meeting for the launch of the consultation on the new Common Agricultural Policy. At the same time, he singled out the main challenges and the priorities on the basis of which the country will participate in the debate, stressing that Greece’s voice must be heard loudly in Brussels at all levels and for this, a prerequisite is “to create a capital of credibility and trust”.

He stressed that this negotiation is extremely complex because it is the only one taking place in a highly unstable environment. What ambitions we include in the budget, what tools we design, we have to take into account the broader context.

He singled out as a particularly critical issue the completion of the transition of the OPEKEPE to the AADE. As he said, we are called upon to transform on the go, so that we can continue to pay producers.

A key priority, according to the minister, is to tackle zoonoses, which is not a technical issue but has been elevated to the highest political priority. “We are fighting a big battle in Lesvos and we are doing it in a coordinated manner.”

Schinas also referred extensively to the new architecture of the European agricultural policy, noting that the proposal for the new Multiannual Financial Framework is substantially different from the past, as it is not a mere continuation, but attempts to respond to the new challenges. He stressed that the issue is no longer just the amount of resources, but their effectiveness. “It is what we pay for with this money, rather than what we would like to be paid for, that matters,” he clarified.