After welcoming Michel Dantin and Giovanni La Via from the European Parliament and Herman Hooyberghs from the Belgian Presidency of the European Union, and the presidents of CEETTAR and EDT, Gérard Napias highlighted the contribution of agricultural contractors to the competitiveness and sustainability of European agriculture. He emphasised “the necessity of recognising the vital role played by the 100,000 contractors throughout the entire agricultural production chain and of finally updating the Community legal framework”. Addressing representatives from the European Parliament and Council of Ministers, he added “that we all need to enter into the current debates in order to thoroughly transform the way, in which agricultural professionals approach Europe.”
Aproniano Tassinari, president of the Italian representative organisation (UNIMA) and organiser of the 2010 event, was “delighted at the continued mobilisation of contractors across national borders, which prompts hopes that greater attention will be paid to the sector’s interests at European level.” He also stressed that, a year ago, Paolo Di Castro, president of the Agricultural Commission of the European Parliament, acknowledged that agricultural contractors need to be recognised.
Klaus Pentzlin, vice-president of CEETTAR and president of the German representative organisation (BLU) drew the participants’ attention “to the transnational dimension of agricultural services. This development confirms the ever-increasing need for highly competitive and multi-skilled contractors who develop new approaches and new strategies.” He added that “at the same time, more contractors are confronted with the economic and legal constraints caused by the freedom to provide services within the internal market.”
After outlining their vision of the future Common Agricultural Policy and the potential role of contractors in this process, Michel Dantin, Giovanni La Via and Herman Hooyberghs answered questions put forward by contractors. The latter were also able to demonstrate that, beyond purely technical issues, such as the costs incurred and constraints suffered due to the lack of compatible road traffic regulations between the member states, they need, above all, support in order to make their businesses sustainable and continue to provide quality employment in rural areas, where opportunities of this nature remain scarce.
Gérard Napias brought the event to a close by asking “the representatives from the Council of Ministers and European Parliament to assume responsibility for guaranteeing not only free but also undistorted competition. The European Union is in the process of adopting new objectives for agricultural production, production methods and rural development. It would be counter-productive for it to neglect the potential for innovation and competitiveness that agricultural contractors represent.” He concluded that “the 2012 European Days will provide an opportunity to conduct an initial review of any progress made.”
Source: CEETAR
