Debate contributions by Raffaele STANCANELLI

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, tomorrow we will be voting on two very important dossiers: simplification and strengthening the position of farmers in the agri-food chain. We talk about the daily lives of those who work the land, the survival of our farms and the food security of European citizens. Strengthening the position of farmers means defending the value of our production. It is essential to welcome what guarantees a fair income for farms, giving dignity and future perspective. We have always made this clear: Bureaucracy is a boulder on farmers' shoulders. Yet we must have the honesty to say it: the problem does not end with the reduction of administrative burdens. The central point is that the new CAP, as it was conceived, will have devastating effects. It is no longer just a technical-administrative problem, it has become a political problem. We were chosen by the citizens and we are here to represent their voice and the voice of the agricultural sector today is clear: This CAP is a disgrace, a blind policy that does not value excellence, that does not take into account territorial specificities, that penalizes those who produce instead of supporting them. All political groups, albeit with differences, recognise the seriousness of the situation. This immobility is no longer tolerable. We're calling for a breakthrough. This reform must be withdrawn. If we really want to defend our farmers, Commissioner, we must have the political courage to change course. Only in this way will we restore dignity to those who work the land and build a solid future for European agriculture.

Madam President, thank you for your presence, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, on Monday we voted in committee on the INI on the future of agriculture. As Patriots we voted in favour of over 50 compromises, appreciating the no to the single fund, an adequate budget in the multiannual financial framework and administrative simplification. We abstained, however, on the final vote, for the vague way in which direct payments are defended in the presence of still 25% for ecoschemes, an abstention of denunciation, too. The European Parliament cannot simply address a proposal on the future CAP by discussing it only in AGRI, without a vote in plenary. Parliament has, in fact, renounced its role. We will lose this battle if we are not able, Commissioner, to oppose a proposal that distorts the very concept of support, making the funds allocated to farmers subject to a logic of cross-compliance. Farmers have asked us for an agricultural policy that is closer to them, more concrete: Let us restore it as income support and remove the elements that deprive it. We are missing an opportunity to reiterate that Parliament wants a policy different from that of some Commission officials. Don't you want to address the key issues that farmers raised in 2024? We stand by them, and I ask you, Commissioner, and I ask every Member who cares about agriculture...

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, today I bring to the House the cry of alarm of so many Italian and European companies. The ideological obsession with the Green Deal is getting worse and more damaging to industrial production in our countries. The discontinuation of free ETS allowances and the introduction of the CBAM will greatly harm our companies, enrich Chinese and US companies and, moreover, will not bring any environmental benefit due to the well-known problems of circumvention. With regard to energy-intensive companies, the Green Deal wants to impose a green technology that is struggling to exist; They do not use gas because they are bad and they want to pollute, but gas in Europe is used, and will continue to be used, because it is the only source of energy with which we are able to carry out certain industrial processes. Punishing and taxing will bring no environmental benefit and will only result in relocation. While the European bureaucracy studies methods that severely penalise our companies, our continent suffers a drastic drop in manufacturing production that impoverishes and weakens us. When will we stop punishing those who produce wealth and bring development to Europe?

Mr President, Commissioner, your document contains interesting points such as the reference to productivity and food security. But we would have expected much more: It is time for the Commission to clarify what direction it intends to take for European agriculture, after the many negatives of the past legislature. There is no reference to the size and continuity of CAP funds; On the contrary, it suggests that they could be incorporated into a national fund managed under the blackmail of the conditionality mechanism, which has already revealed all its limitations. We hope this is not true. What is the future of direct payments? Defined as essential for the stability of agricultural income, but on which hangs the unknown of a new allocation mechanism in favor of those who need it most: There is no explanation for this and this is unacceptable. Direct payments must be guaranteed and strengthened, not the ATM for the most varied ideological objectives. What about the resources allocated to the disputed ecosystems? Do we want to question the real usefulness of interventions in this regard? Here, we need a structural overhaul that guarantees certainty to producers and reaffirms the centrality of agriculture in the European economic strategy.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, it is economically proven that the free market brings economic development and prosperity, and that is why, in principle, we are in favour of it. However, it is crucial that the agreements are mutually beneficial. This is not the case for Mercosur. Farmers and ranchers are desperately trying to make us understand the severity of the impact this deal could have on their businesses. Our farmers would be at an economic disadvantage and would not be able to compete with the big South American landowners. To this imbalance is added the great contradiction green of the Commission: on the one hand it imposes increasingly strict rules on our farmers, on the other it allows our market to be invaded by foreign products that do not meet the same standards imposed in Europe, especially in terms of plant health and environmental and social sustainability. Is it an ideological fact to say that this is not a fair deal? No, we think not. Because if it is true that free trade agreements bring benefits, it is also true that Mercosur, as it is structured, harms and sells out our farmers, producers, breeders and consumers. Perhaps it would be appropriate not to remain closed in palaces, but to listen humbly to those who work the land and produce wealth.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the situation in Venezuela has become unsustainable in terms of democratic legitimacy and there is no prospect of improvement. Indeed, it has worsened further with the expulsion of several diplomats from Italy, France and the Netherlands. It is time for the international community to take a strong stand against the regime and against Maduro's dictatorship, to end the violent repression that has destroyed the country and to proceed with the immediate release of political prisoners. It must be a common objective of all the groups and I hope it will be clearly stated by Parliament. Where are all the supporters of the rule of law who tear their clothes off every day for all activities in the countries where they have been defeated? A special thought to Alberto Trentini, a 45-year-old Italian collaborator, in Venezuela to give assistance to disabled children, currently imprisoned without any official explanation. Months have passed since his arrest and there is no news of his condition. How long are we willing to tolerate this?

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I welcome the Commissioner. It is well known that the challenges of our farmers are varied and complex, and this has been clearly demonstrated by the many protests of the past months. There is a need to underline another aspect that is not adequately considered: their working conditions. In fact, they often operate under high pressure, with grueling hours and unstable wages; This can cause impairment of physical health and psychological well-being, resulting in stress and stressful situations. burnout. It is our task and duty to address these challenges with strategic and well-planned measures: constant income must be guaranteed and agricultural policies implemented that facilitate operators in the sector and producers and enhance local agricultural work. It is also crucial to finance innovative technologies, which facilitate the optimisation of resources and the reduction of workload. The bureaucratic complexity, the mismanagement of tax incentives, the lack of valorization of local heritage and the insufficient defense of the sector in the international context have facilitated unfavorable circumstances for our farmers, both from a physical and psychological point of view. What has been implemented so far has not brought benefits, but has contributed to aggravating an already complex situation, fuelling hostilities and problems. The European Union's priority must be directed primarily at farmers themselves, eliminating impractical ideological approaches and strengthening specific measures that protect their well-being and health, thus also safeguarding the growth and economic development of the European agricultural sector.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, cities and regions have historically played a major role in the birth and formation of our Europe. The real strength of local communities lies in the enhancement of autonomy and responsibility. The European Union, in order to be realistically efficient, must respect regional peculiarities, putting at the centre policies oriented towards economic efficiency, security and innovation. Cities must act as an engine of sustainable growth, facilitating productive sectors and promoting employment. It is imperative to promote solutions tailored to local specificities, rejecting an excessive centralization of skills. In a context of prosperity and social cohesion, with autonomy in the management of resources, we can provide for the livelihood of small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the pillar of the economy of our cities. It is therefore essential to highlight that, with respect for history, traditions and regional autonomy, we can have a strong, secure and prosperous Europe for future generations.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, competitiveness and innovation have long been at the heart of the political debate. I wonder then how we think we can compete with other nations that run fast, such as the United States and China, when we limit ourselves with an excessive burden of bureaucracy, unbalancing the competition to our disadvantage? In addition to stopping innovation, excessive bureaucracy does not allow us to achieve the goals we set ourselves, making everything slower and more expensive. Eurobarometer data show us a sad scenario: despite 93% of small and medium-sized enterprises investing in efficiency measures, 35% complain or get stuck in the face of too complex administrative procedures. While, on the one hand, we spend to incentivize industrial, craft and agricultural companies to invest, on the other hand we spend to impose unnecessary bureaucratic limits, thus stopping the same actions that we want to incentivize. At the end of the day, we spend twice as much and get half as much.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Mr High Representative, we are at a time of particular tension and instability, which at any moment can lead to a much greater war, not just a regional one. The situation in the Middle East and Lebanon is marked by an alarming increase in violence and death. It is clear that this escalation is the direct result of the criminal terrorist attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023. Since this crucial event, conditions on the ground have significantly deteriorated, contributing to an environment of increasing conflict. Attacks of a terrorist nature must be condemned in the strongest possible terms and it is essential to take action to prevent the further aggravation of the war situation. It is essential that Europe, Mr High Representative, finally makes its voice heard, with the aim of re-establishing a balance that can determine the security and inviolability of the State of Israel. As long as the existence of Israel is questioned by terrorist organizations and their backers and supporters, overt or covert, there will be no peace either in Lebanon or in the Middle East.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, first of all, my solidarity with the people of Emilia Romagna. Today we are faced with an issue of crucial importance. Drought and extreme weather events pose a significant threat to local communities and the agricultural sector and in my Sicily at this time we have suffered very serious damage, the situation is very difficult. The entrepreneurial fabric, in particular the agricultural sector, represents a fundamental asset, to be preserved. However, the current European market is challenged by excessive regulation and limitations that prevent the effective implementation of sustainability practices. Moreover, despite the strict measures imposed on farmers, the tangible benefits in the fight against climate change have proved disappointing. This implies the need to focus on tools and strategies that can effectively counter the effects of drought and prevent emergency situations, rather than applying constraints that prevent concrete interventions. The future Common Agricultural Policy should therefore focus on the effectiveness of risk management tools, especially in the water sector, promoting necessary infrastructure works and encouraging the use of new emerging technologies. These technologies, in synergy with the work of farmers, can offer innovative solutions. In conclusion, it is essential to adopt pragmatic and advanced measures, not ideological ones. I hope that the new Commissioner will also take on board these considerations and move in harmony with the entrepreneurs...