The counselor of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development, Julián Martínez Lizán, has expressed his confidence that the demands raised by Spain in the negotiation of the upcoming Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will be well reflected in the final text. In his opinion, the pact could be closed and ratified by the end of this year, although he has warned that the coming days will be decisive in the development of these conversations.
Questioned this Monday in Guadalajara about whether he expects a new understanding on the CAP to be reached in the coming days and whether this will incorporate the claims of Castilla-La Mancha, Martínez Lizán has pointed out that there are "a couple of very important days" on the community agenda and has once again placed the horizon for the ratification of the agreement at the end of the year.
The regional head of Agriculture has emphasized that Spain approaches the negotiation with a shared stance on the most significant issues, although he has admitted that nuances and discrepancies persist among the different autonomous communities on some specific points.
Likewise, he has referred to the list of requests that is intended to be asserted in Brussels and has reiterated his hope that the Minister of Agriculture will defend them "tooth and nail" in the meeting of ministers, while reminding that the other member states will also arrive with their own claims.
In this context, he has explained that "the countries that have a certain fear of the repercussions that issues like the war in Ukraine with countries like Russia may entail also want other elements of protection," highlighting the existing concern among some European partners about the impact of international conflicts.
"I trust," Martínez Lizán has assured, who has insisted that Spain has "a good argument" to support its positions, especially regarding the multiannual financial framework, understanding that the budgetary amount will be a key and differentiating factor in the configuration of this future CAP.
In this line, he has stressed that "the financial allocation is what will mark the differentiating character in the negotiation that will ultimately be undertaken," emphasizing that the volume of funds allocated will condition the final outcome of the agreement.