EU leaders discuss agricultural and economic challenges in Brussels

Helsinki, 25 March 2024

On Friday 22 March, the second day of its meeting, the European Council discussed responding to concerns raised by EU farmers and enabling Ukraine to export its grain. On the second day of the meeting, EU leaders also held a Euro Summit and a celebratory session with the EEA countries.

The European Council discussed the challenges facing agriculture and the concerns raised by farmers. EU leaders noted that the EU’s own agricultural production is key to food security and to the Common Agricultural Policy. Farmers must have a stable and predictable framework. EU leaders called for rapid action to reduce the administrative burden for farmers and to ensure a fair income for farmers by strengthening farmers’ position in the food supply chain. They discussed the need to help Ukraine export grain outside the EU so that Ukraine can get much-needed revenue without affecting the sales of EU farmers.

“We urged the Commission to prepare rapid measures to support farmers in distress. We must reduce the administrative burden, ensure farmers’ a fair income and safeguard food security,” said Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

A Euro Summit was held in the margin of the European Council, attended by all EU Member States. EU leaders discussed the economic and financial situation of the euro area and found that declining inflation is creating conditions for a gradual recovery. They invited the Eurogroup to closely monitor economic and fiscal developments. EU leaders are determined to increase the resilience and competitiveness of the EU economy.

On Friday, the European Council held a joint session with the prime ministers of the three EEA countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. They celebrated the 30th anniversary of the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement. The key purpose of the EEA Agreement is to extend the EU’s single market to the EEA countries. Finland sees the EEA countries as key partners of the EU in the pursuit for a stronger and more prosperous and competitive Europe.