Dystopia
In its budget proposals for 2014-2020, the European Commission emphasized on June 29, 2011 that “the agricultural sector must prepare for increased global competition and price volatility for both products and inputs”. With regard to so-called “developing” countries (DCs), the European Union is a major importer, even if it sends there 45% of its food exports thanks to a dumping policy camouflaged by direct internal aid which also benefits to exported products. Without reducing their food deficit, “developing” countries will continue to mobilize agricultural land for export that is increasingly essential to feed their populations.
“The EU must stop importing the food products it can produce, even if the price ratio favors imports but at the expense of jobs and the environment, due to the international and internal transport involved. Thus, out of the 38 billion euros of average net food imports from the EU from developing countries from 2006 to 2009, only 9.1 billion should continue to be imported: coffee, cocoa, tea, spices, bananas and dates. But it is not desirable to continue to import from developing countries an average of 12.6 billion worth of oilseeds, livestock feed and fats (excluding olive oil), not to mention temperate fruits and vegetables, cereals, sugar. , meats and fish. This implies that we agree to gradually modify our diet to only consume what we can produce, or at least by imposing heavy customs duties on luxury food imports, and that we reduce consumption. of animal products, which would reduce the need for livestock feed.”*