José Luis Palma offers an analysis of agri-food sustainability and demographic challenges in the EU. | El Confidencial

Following the publication of two key reports in the agri-food field by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in the Official Journal of the European Union, José Luis Palma, counsel and member of the Advisory Board of Gómez-Acebo y Pombo, shares his perspective on the matter.

On 28 November, two EESC opinions were published in the OJEU, one on a just transition to ensure a sustainable future for the EU’s agri-food systems and the other on the impact of demographics on social Europe.

The report on Just Transition calls for distributive justice to ensure balanced information and consultation processes in agri-food chains, respecting workers’ rights and the Common Agricultural Policy. It aims to push for the introduction of rules to limit ‘speculation and the “financialisation” of food systems’. It proposes the creation of a ‘just transition fund for the agri-food sector’ to support SMEs in the sector.

The second of the reports highlights how EU Member States are facing declining populations and very low birth rates.

In order to tackle this situation, greater production, greater efficiency in the food chain, greater concentration in the size of farms (including more technified, professionalised and capitalised family farms) will be required, but, without doubt, greater use of private capital will be needed at the same time. In this context, Spain is a leading international agri-food power which, for numerous reasons, gives it a very high capacity to adapt to complex international markets.

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