EU policies jeopardise food independence, say 50% in poll

European voters are as unhappy as farmers with the bloc’s protection of agriculture, accounting the largest slice of the EU budget.

Transcript

00:00 According to an IPSOS survey of 26,000 voters conducted for Euronews, a clear majority of

00:07 Europeans believe the EU's decisions are worsening Europe's agricultural independence. Around

00:15 half of them are as unhappy as the farmers when it comes to protecting the continent's

00:19 food security.

00:20 We are reminding Europe that to have a strong Europe, we need strong agriculture. We are

00:27 putting priority on our farmers.

00:30 Food security is central to the EU's farming subsidies programme, the Common Agricultural

00:35 Policy or CAP, which is one of the bloc's biggest cash handouts. And the poll indicates

00:41 the CAP is viewed as a substantial failure, at least in the eyes of half the voters. It

00:46 accounts for one third of the overall EU budget. The fear is that the EU may not be able to

00:52 secure a basic food supply in the future. 49% of Europeans think the EU is not doing

00:59 enough to protect their food and their crops.

01:02 Romanians are the most optimistic. They are moderately satisfied. Dissatisfaction runs

01:08 highest in the major agricultural states, including France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands

01:13 and Poland. The most negative views come from those who support far-right parties, right-wing

01:19 parties and far-left parties. But those who support left-wing parties and the Greens are

01:25 more likely to think the EU's agricultural policies are good.

01:30 EU leaders and MEPs expect the recent farmers rallies and the growing anti-globalisation

01:36 sentiment will result in a significant protest vote in June.

01:42 There's a clear divide between the left and right on views towards agriculture. But it's

01:46 the far-right who are expected to make the biggest gains, and their supporters are particularly

01:51 dissatisfied with the EU's agricultural policy.

01:55 The recent crisis, pandemics and the return of war to Europe have generated a fear that

02:02 a lack of food and farming independence will further weaken the EU, and that that will

02:06 expose its citizens to shortages in food. Meanwhile, farmers say that the common agricultural

02:12 policy's reforms have turned their sector into a non-profitable business.

02:17 [Whoosh]