SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Feb. 17 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Discontent has been expressed by a group of young farmers in the Canary Islands regarding the recent Order of February 5, 2024, which approves the bases for the granting of subsidies within the framework of the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy (PEPAC) for the period 2023- 2027.
Their specific criticism revolves around point 2.c of Annex 2, where 18 points are awarded to young farmers established under the PEPAC in the last five years, excluding those who were established through the Rural Development Programme (PDR) in the same period.
According to them, this criterion unfairly limits access to subsidies and creates a comparative grievance against the spirit of the European regulations on the CAP, which promotes generational change and employment in the agricultural sector.
They argue that both European and national and regional legislation should promote fair access to aid for all young farmers, irrespective of the financing framework under which they were installed.
They point out that the current criterion exclusively favours young people who settled under the PEPAC, neglecting those under the PDR, thus contradicting the principles of equality, proportionality and non-discrimination.
Additionally, they highlight the disparity created between young people installed in different years, potentially compromising the future of young agricultural companies by facing a clear disadvantage in access to calls and support opportunities. The Minister of Agriculture, Narvay Quintero, has informed the young people installed in 2023 that he wants to change the bases so that those from 2023 benefit from that score, but leaving out those installed in 2021 and 2022, generating a great comparative grievance.
The group has requested a review and correction of this policy to reflect fair and equitable treatment in line with the principles of equality, proportionality and non-discrimination. They are calling for the regulatory bases to be aligned with the spirit of support for generational change and to ensure that all young farmers, regardless of the program under which they were established, have equitable access to aid.
The legal basis for their claim is rooted in several principles and regulations, including article 14 of the Spanish Constitution, the CAP regulations, and the principle of proportionality and non-discrimination established by both national and European Union legislation.
This case underscores the need to review and adapt agricultural policies to ensure fair and equitable treatment for all sectors involved, especially for young farmers who are essential to the future of the agricultural sector in the Canary Islands and throughout Europe.
