Bucharest, Feb 27 /Agerpres/ - Romanian farmers stand in solidarity with their European colleagues from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria, who are scheduled to protest today over unfair European agricultural policies.

'The Alliance for Agriculture and Cooperation, represented by the National Federation - PRO AGRO, the League of Agricultural Producers' Associations in Romania - LAPAR, the National Union of Cooperatives in the Vegetable Sector - UNCSV and the Farmers' Force Association - AFF, expresses its solidarity with the farmers of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria who today will organise protest actions against unfair European agricultural policies, massive imports of agricultural products from third countries and the vitality of a distinct and strong budget for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2028-2034,' according to the Alliance for Agriculture and Cooperation.

Romanian farmers are facing the same problems as their other European colleagues: market distortions caused by duty-free imports from Ukraine, a harmful impact of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement on the competitiveness of European agricultural production, an increase in the bureaucratic burden imposed by the Brussels regulations and the lack of concrete provisions on a distinct and strong CAP budget in the Vision for Agriculture and Food.

'These measures endanger food security, while destroying local supply chains and negatively affecting the incomes of European farmers.'

In this context, the Alliance for Agriculture and Cooperation supports the demands of European farmers. The organisation is calling on the decision-makers in Romania and the EU to cancel the EU-Mercosur agreement, which would allow massive imports of agricultural products from South America, seriously affecting the competitiveness of European farmers; renegotiate the EU-Ukraine trade relations in order to protect the European agricultural market and secure a level playing field; guaranteeing fair agricultural policies that ensure real protection of the internal market and European farmers; cutting through red tape and excessive regulations imposed by Brussels that make agriculture more difficult.

Romanian farmers are also asking for support for the European Citizens' Initiative 'Stop False Food,' designed to ensure a correct labelling of food products and protect European consumers.

'Farmers across Europe, including Romania, are at the forefront of the fight to maintain a viable agricultural sector, to protect local production and food security. We need reciprocity, mirror rules for imported products, the same ones that EU producers respect.'

The Alliance for Agriculture and Cooperation says that the protests are a strong signal to European and national decision-makers that current agricultural policies need to be reviewed to ensure a sustainable future for farmers across the European Union. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Cristian Anghelache; EN - writing by: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu)