EGN NEWS DESK
Hansen’s remit would cowl meals safety — a key concern addressed in a strategic farming dialogue that von der Leyen has held this yr that she needs to transform right into a 100-day motion plan for agriculture. But meals security — which incorporates points like pesticides and genetically modified crops — would stay together with animal welfare the accountability of Hungary’s designated well being commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi.
“His principal problem is to keep away from being restricted in his function as a Commissioner to the structural fund dimension of the CAP, however to have the mandatory room of maneuver to supervise the assorted insurance policies having an affect on the agriculture sector [such as] diet, commerce and local weather dimensions,” stated Luc Vernet, from the business suppose tank Farm Europe.
Hansen has the political benefit of coming from a small nation with shut geographic and linguistic ties with EU heavyweights France and Germany. Jean-Claude Juncker made a political profession out of that distinctive promoting level, rising from finance minister to prime minister and — in the end — turning into president of the European Commission.
“[Hansen] is extremely formidable,” stated Moroz, from EEB. “I believe the primary driver could be very a lot his political profession, so this [being an EU commissioner] can be a stepping stone to one thing larger.”
However, agriculture is a “can of worms,” quipped Martin Hojsik, a liberal MEP from Slovakia who’s a vp of the European Parliament and sits on its atmosphere committee. “You need to be very fortunate to get politically wholesome out of this.”
