Spain's acting Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, has travelled to Brussels to convey the Government of Spain's position to the European Commission and ask for firmness in the negotiations in the face of “unacceptable” sanctions. The Minister is asking the EU for support measures to be granted to those sectors affected by the tariffs in the event that negotiations with the US yield no positive outcome.
The Agricultural Policy Advisory Council has analyzed the decision of the United States to impose tariffs on certain agro-food productions from the European Union, significantly affecting Spanish products.
As explained by the Minister, “we are all united in the belief that the European Union must stand firm in the negotiations with the United States, so that the agro-food sector can be left out of this dispute and not be affected by possible commercial sanctions."
The Minister has also stressed the impact that these tariffs will have for certain products, including citrus fruits.
In the event that the negotiations do not prosper and the commercial sanctions are imposed, the Minister will ask Commissioner Hogan for specific measures, including compensations to the producers and the funding of promotional measures to seek alternative markets.