The meeting of the Coldiretti regional management with the candidates for the European elections
(UNWEB) There are ten points of the manifesto that outlines Coldiretti’s trade union trajectory for the next legislature, presented yesterday to the candidates for the European Elections, Francesca Peppucci, Mirco Carloni, Marco Squarta and Camilla Laureti, during individual meetings at the regional headquarters of the Agricultural Organization in Perugia, in the presence of the members.
The Europe that we want as Umbrian farmers – explained the Coldiretti regional President Albano Agabiti – is very different from the current one. Hence our mobilizations in recent months in Brussels and at Brenner, with pressure on the European institutions against the ideology or often inaction that has penalized agriculture. The first results have arrived, from the revision of the CAP to the debt moratorium, but much still remains to be done.
Among our requests and proposals – explains Agabiti – the increase in funds from the Common Agricultural Policy, the much criticized CAP, to thus ensure healthy and safe food for all European citizens and encourage generational turnover; the stop to unfair competition by introducing the principle of reciprocity to ensure that all products entering the European Union respect the same standards from an environmental, health and labor standards point of view envisaged by the internal market, and origin labeling mandatory on all foods and abolition of the customs code rule on final processing. No to nutriscore and artificial food produced in laboratories whose effects on consumer health are unknown, following the example of Italy which approved a law banning their production and marketing, but also the strengthening of actions against unfair practices and encouraging supply chain agreements.
And again – reiterates the Director of Coldiretti Umbria Mario Rossi – the simplification and lightening of bureaucratic burdens that cost companies time and money and more resources and tools to accompany risk management in the countryside where sustainability and climate change are priority challenges. We ask to simplify rural development and invest in research and training, and to promote innovation and digitalisation. The Europe we want – adds Rossi – is a Europe that first of all recognizes and supports the role of farmers as custodians of ecosystems and biodiversity, as main actors in economic and social development, indispensable producers of food, sentinels of the environment and food and wine traditions, bearers of health and well-being and protagonists also in a tourism perspective. We also invited the candidates – concludes Rossi – to sign the European popular petition promoted by Coldiretti to ask the next Parliament to extend the origin label to all food products. An objective that requires 1 million signatures, for a topic that, thanks to Coldiretti, has already entered the agenda of the EU Commission.
