Amaia Barredo: “Euromontana will request greater investment in the circular economy in Brussels, especially with the transformation of wool and wood”

• Laura Gascón, from Teruel, the new president who replaces José Andrés Gutierrez Lazpita after twelve years at the head of the association
• The Final Declaration of Puigcerdà on prosperous, resilient and mountain economies will be presented in Brussels on December 11, International Mountain Day

Vitoria-Gasteiz / Puigcerdà  2024 10 18

The Minister of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries of the Basque Government, Mrs Amaia Barredo, has highlighted, among the recommendations agreed by the Euromontana Convention closed today in Puigcerdà (Girona, Catalunya), the request to the states and the European Union for “more support for mountain agriculture in the next CAP reform, especially to evaluate and better remunerate ecosystem services and greater investment in the circular economy, especially with the transformation of wool and wood”.

On November 11, International Mountain Day, the conclusions of the Euromontana Convention held this week in Puigcerdà will be presented in Brussels, with the participation of Minister Amaia Barredo. The next summit of European Mountain Regions and Countries will be held in 2026, as it is biennial.

“Among the agreements that will be detailed in Brussels, the proposal for a better evaluation of mountain food products through labelling and certifications such as the optional EU quality term for mountain products stands out; explore solutions for better access to housing in mountain areas, at regional and state level and through the next European Union housing plan and the development of a social economy that contributes to making the mountains an attractive place to live” says Minister Mrs  Barredo

Climate Change

Another recommendation agreed by the more than 200 people participating in the Catalan Pyrenees Convention is the creation of a fair transition fund for mountain areas affected by climate change to ensure a smooth transition for ski resorts, including people working in the sector.

“Mountain economies must be prosperous, productive and have thriving sectors, including traditional ones such as agriculture and tourism, but also secondary and tertiary sectors. Mountain economies must be more resilient to the demographic challenges of depopulation and ageing, and to climate change,” they point out in their agreement.

“Mountain economies must be sustainable. In terms of environmental sustainability, mountains should be pioneers in the green transition of the economy. In terms of social sustainability, mountains must provide fair income for all, including farmers, young people, and rural women,” they add in their final assessment.

The results of the interactive workshops in Puigcerdà will be analysed in the coming weeks and the Puigcerdà Final Declaration on prosperous, resilient and mountain economies will be presented in Brussels on 11 December, International Mountain Day, by the Generalitat de Catalunya, CREAF and Euromontana

Amaia Barredo took part in the round table discussion on the “Challenges for mountain economies in a context of transition”. The Bavarian parliamentarian, Ulrike Müller, and the MEP for South Tyrol, Herbert Dorfmann, participated in the meetings, coinciding with the Basque representation in various analyses on the management of the rural environment in the mountains.

Attracting youth

“Perhaps one of the most important aspects of the week has been the debate on “How to attract workers” to mountain agriculture and livestock areas. We have put the emphasis on this and there have been many regions and countries that agree with this need for generational change" observed Amaia Barredo.

According to Mrs Amaia Barredo "those who have participated in the meetings have expressed their points of view on how to take advantage of the links between rural and urban areas to build prosperous and resilient mountain economies".

During this week there have been field visits in Puigcerdà and throughout Cerdanya, high-level plenary sessions and interactive debates on how to overcome the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities offered by mountain areas. European mountain communities occupy 36% of the territory and bring together 13% of the population of the European Union.