“The CAP: Meeting the major challenges”, Speech of Commissioner Hogan at the EU Agricultural Outlook Conference in Brussels

Speaking in front of over 400 stakeholders from the agricultural sector, today Commissioner Hogan today presented his vision for agriculture in the European Union and the future of the Common Agricultural Policy. Commissioner Hogansaid “the contribution of the CAP to addressing the economic, social and environmental issues shows that it is a policy not just for farmers but for all the people of Europe”. He wholeheartedly applauded and praised farmers for their efforts to mitigate climate change and make the greening of the CAP work on the ground; however he added that climate-smart agriculture must go in hand in hand with ensuring that farming remains viable, underlining that feeding the world is a global necessity and “we must support our producers using all the instruments at our disposal“. In this context, Commissioner Hogan also announced several upcoming trade missions to boost EU agri-food exports, concluding that the CAP must keep on delivering for all EU citizens and remain a living policy, fit-for-purpose – a Common Agricultural and Food Policy“. Highlighting that the CAP  is “the only EU policy which is fully integrated and funded from the EU budget“, Commissioner Hogan said that with the CAP, the EU is “driving a key strategic sector for the European economy and for European society”, and that the EU’s agricultural sector is becoming more innovative and competitive thanks to the CAP. A recording of Commissioner Hogan’s full speech is available on EbS and the text is available here.