Visit of the Miklič farm. | Author Jure Makovec

Minister Cigler Kralj and Commissioner Várhelyi discussed the future of the Common Agricultural Policy after 2027, animal and plant health, food safety, the future of European legislation on plant reproductive material, animal welfare, and more effective and harmonised controls on imports of animals and goods from third countries. The Minister said that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) must continue to provide adequate support for European agriculture and contribute to food security, resilience and the long-term sustainability of farms.

He emphasised: "We share a common belief that we must reduce administrative and bureaucratic burdens while maintaining high standards of animal welfare. We support the use of modern technologies, digital solutions and artificial intelligence in agriculture when they are scientifically sound and economically viable. Our focus for this term of office is clear: to support family farms and allow them to dedicate as much time, energy and resources as possible to their core mission - producing food. That is why we are working to remove the administrative and bureaucratic obstacles that make farmers' work more difficult."

European Commissioner Várhelyi said that agriculture is an area in which Europe still retains its sovereignty. He added that we must recognise that it is farmers who put food on our tables, so we must help them both through financial support and by simplifying regulations. He also touched upon the new animal welfare rules for farms, stressing that they must be economically viable and developed with farmers - not imposed on them. He added: "My visit here today confirmed that Slovenia has much to contribute to our agenda on better animal health and welfare, given its experience of balancing tradition, quality production and strong links to rural communities."

He also highlighted that climate change, global trade and increasing mobility are enabling the spread of new diseases and pests, which pose a growing risk to European agriculture, forests, biodiversity and food security.

Minister Cigler Kralj said that Slovenia is also facing an increasing number of risks in the areas of animal and plant health. The most serious threats to livestock farming include African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, sheep and goat plague and highly pathogenic avian influenza. Meanwhile, crop production and forests are under threat from dangerous plant pests and diseases such as Xylella fastidiosa, the Japanese beetle, the emerald ash borer, the pine wood nematode and the Asian longhorn beetle. He emphasised that Slovenia advocates adequate, stable and predictable EU funding, which must keep pace with the growing scale, costs and cross-border nature of these risks. It is vital that Member States receive sufficient EU support for prevention, monitoring, early detection, preparedness and rapid response.

The Minister expressed his support for the further improvement of European animal welfare standards, provided they are scientifically sound, proportionate, practical and economically viable. He also mentioned the new Animal Protection Act that is currently being drafted: "The working group tasked with drafting the amendments is making good progress. A scientifically sound and harmonised draft will soon be presented to the public, after which it will be put out for public consultation. As we announced at the start of our term, our aim is to eliminate the most problematic solutions, which drain farmers' energy, time and motivation to work, and consequently have a negative impact on the volume of domestic food production; at the same time, we wish to maintain animal welfare standards."

The key elements in the forthcoming revision of the rules governing pigs and poultry are clear requirements, realistic transition periods and adequate financial support for farmers. The Minister also highlighted the importance of animal welfare indicators and digital technologies, which can help to improve the monitoring of animals' actual conditions, but solutions must be scientifically sound, proportionate and free from unnecessary administrative burden. Higher European welfare standards must also go hand in hand with ensuring a level playing field for European producers, including in relation to products from third countries.

Slovenia welcomes the work of the European Commission within the framework of the relevant working group on more effective and harmonised controls on imports of animals and goods from third countries, to which it has seconded its experts. Commissioner Várhelyi reaffirmed the Commission's commitment to strengthening and intensifying the monitoring of food production in third countries exporting to the EU.

Minister Cigler Kralj and Commissioner Várhelyi emphasised the importance of more effective cooperation, the exchange of information and a more coordinated approach to supervision at the EU level, particularly in relation to products of animal origin, where traceability throughout the food chain and effective risk management are crucial. Further harmonisation of the rules and their implementation at the EU level is also important in this regard, as a uniform approach to traceability, data exchange and official controls could contribute to consistent implementation of the rules across all Member States, as well as ensuring the effective functioning of the internal market.

During the working meeting, Minister Cigler Kralj and Commissioner Várhelyi visited a farm to observe the implementation of high animal welfare standards first-hand, and to learn about the day-to-day conditions of animal husbandry and care. The field visit provided an opportunity for a direct discussion on how best to align European policies with the actual circumstances and needs of farmers. The minister and the commissioner agreed on the importance of continued close cooperation between Slovenia and the European Commission on issues that are crucial for the future of European agriculture, food security and the resilience of the European agri-food system.