Parliamentary question - E-001912/2024Parliamentary question
E-001912/2024

Are the EU’s instruments and mechanisms for agriculture fit for purpose in the face of protracted droughts?

Question for written answer  E-001912/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Dan-Ştefan Motreanu (PPE), Daniel Buda (PPE)

High temperatures continue to devastate the EU. Destructive fires, heatwaves and severe droughts – worsened by reduced rainfall – are creating unprecedented challenges for agriculture.

In Romania, 2.5 million hectares – specifically, 40 % of wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower crops – were compromised by drought in 2024[1]. The July drought report from the Joint Research Centre shows that Sicily lost 25 % of its agricultural production, with EUR 2.7 billion in drought damage[2], while parts of Spain imposed water restrictions of up to 80 % for crop irrigation and 50 % for livestock[3]. Greece faces devastating fires again, having lost 120 000 hectares[4] and up to 80 % of livestock in 2023[5]. Poland is also experiencing drought and in 2023, 290 000 farmers were affected[6].

Such dramatic examples illustrate the new reality of agriculture. Eurostat indicates that Romania, Italy, Spain, Greece and Poland are among the top 10 Member States that produce 85 % of basic EU foodstuffs. Faced with consecutive dry years, the future of food security looks worrying.

Submitted: 2.10.2024

Last updated: 8 October 2024
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