30
Apr
2026
Watch
How to secure a sustainable future for the EU livestock sector in light of the need to ensure food security, farmers’ resilience and the challenges posed by animal diseases? (debate)
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the livestock sector has always been a strategic sector for the European Union, both economically and in terms of employment. The importance of this sector in ensuring the food security of European citizens and the maintenance and protection of our territory must not be overlooked. In the last twenty years, the sector has seen a 37% reduction in livestock farmers, partly due to the decline in profitability, excessive regulatory pressure and the development of zoonoses, including African swine fever and avian influenza, which are causing a deep structural crisis from which it is very difficult for our farmers to recover if they do not have immediate economic aid from the Community institutions.