Nagy: Member states press Brussels to put European farmers' interests first
Agriculture Minister István Nagy said the agriculture ministers of European Union member states that share a border with Ukraine are pressing Brussels with a joint declaration to defend the interests of European farmers, on the initiative of Hungary.
In a Facebook post uploaded on Wednesday, Minister Nagy said the ministers were asking EU decision makers to protect local farmers from an 'unrestricted flood' of Ukrainian farm products.
He added that an agreement on a 'drastic' increase in quotas on sugar, poultry, eggs, wheat and honey from Ukraine, reached 'behind member states' backs', was 'unacceptable' and called on Brussels to introduce a regional protection mechanism for local farmers that could be automatically triggered.
The joint declaration signed in Budapest will be discussed at a meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Brussels on Monday, the Agriculture Ministry said in a statement.
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