Various parties in the House of Representatives are concerned about the distribution of the European agricultural budget as of 2021. They fear a further deterioration of the Dutch competitive position in the European Union. This became apparent during the debate on Wednesday 15 May about the new agricultural policy and the National Strategic Plan (NSP).
"The Netherlands is financing the destruction of its own agricultural sector," says Barry Madlener, who was the chairman of the PVV faction in the European Parliament for many years, in a response to the letter from Minister Carola Schouten (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) last week about the new European agricultural policy. In it, she advocates the phasing out of the basic premium and a shift of the budget to eco schemes, with flexible conditions. These conditions must ensure that not only a small group remains motivated to participate in European sustainability policy.
According to him, the Netherlands (of all European member states) is deteriorating the most, except for Malta. "It is a fact that the Netherlands, due to the high production value per hectare, is at the top of the basic premium amounts per hectare and therefore has a lot to lose." The PVV criticizes European agricultural policy, but that is not surprising given that Geert Wilders' party wants to leave the European Union. What Forum for Democracy, the big winner of the provincial elections, thinks about agricultural policy remains uncertain. As usual, both Thierry Baudet and Theo Hiddema did not participate in the agricultural debate.
Competitiveness of the Netherlands
The PVV received some support from Jaco Geurts of the CDA. This faction also wonders what consequences the National Strategic Plan will have for the competitiveness of the Dutch agricultural sector. The party expects Minister Schouten to map this out carefully before making a final decision. Schouten has promised to keep a close eye on this and is therefore forming a coalition of like-minded people with several countries. On the other hand, it was unable to answer the question of how its main competitors (France and Germany) intend to implement the new agricultural policy.
The SGP also pointed out to the minister that the shift in the European agricultural budget (from basic premium to eco schemes) means a decline in income for the Netherlands. This is because nature and climate policy costs money. "The subsidies for the eco schemes do not constitute income, but compensation for lost income," says Roelof Bisschop of the SGP.
'In exchange for innovation policy'
Helma Lodders of the VVD was also quite critical of the level playing field in Europe, although she did acknowledge that her party is in favor of a reduction in European agricultural subsidies in exchange for innovation policy. She asked Geurts how the 'Humboldt speech' by Wopke Hoekstra (CDA), Minister of Finance, should be interpreted. According to her, Hoekstra shows that the CDA is shifting towards a shift from the European agricultural budget to other priorities, such as security and migration policy.
Geurts put the discussion about the phasing out of the basic premium into perspective by saying that the agricultural budget is a 'chef sache'. "This depends on Prime Minister Mark Rutte. He determines the Dutch commitment in consultation with the prime ministers of other European member states." According to Geurts, Minister Schouten has little influence on this discussion in the European Union.