On 8th of June 2020, Minister Adrian Oros had an intervention at the video conference of agriculture ministers hosted by the Croatian Presidency of the EU Council. Minister Oros thanked for the organization of this debate on a very important topic concerning the links between the new CAP reform and the European Green Deal in particular the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies for 2030 "Bringing nature back into our lives".

The specific objectives set out in the two strategies are adequate as long as financial resources are provided for farmers to achieve the proposed targets with food security, Adrian Oros stressed. Romania is affected by “the main challenges represented by the reduction of pesticides (by 50%), the reduction of fertilizers (by 20%), the increase of the organically cultivated agricultural area (by 25%) which implies higher costs and prices and the reduction by at least 10% of covered agricultural area with highly diverse landscape features, all of which have the effect of reducing European agri-food production, with the risk of being offset by imports that do not meet the same standards and requirements. The promotion of these targets should be done only after in-depth impact analyzes and alternative solutions for farmers“ asserted the minister.

Minister Oros stated that the Commission's working document summarizes the connections between the new CAP reform and the European Green Deal and properly emphasizes the ability of the future CAP to respond, in theory, to the ambitions of the Green Deal.

We appreciate the Commission's commitment, but it also needs to be backed up by a flexible framework, adapted to the specific requirements and realities of each Member State, so that the funds allocated under the CAP prove to be effective", added Minister Adrian Oros.

Regarding the Commission's new proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework, the Minister stressed that this brings some new elements in response to the new challenges at EU level following the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but also to the new strategies published by the Commission in recent months: “From this point of view, we appreciate the increase in the proposed budget for the CAP and, in particular, for rural development by allocating an additional 16,5 billion euros from the Next Generation EU package," the Minister pointed out, in his statement.

We specify that Romania supports the completion of the discussions regarding the Multiannual Financial Framework for the next period, in order to ensure the necessary financial resources for the implementation of the new CAP.