"I thank the associations and Enrico Letta for the invitation to the Spain-Italy Dialogue Forum, an important opportunity to strengthen ties between Italy and Spain. Agriculture represents an asset of primary importance, inextricably linked to environmental protection. It was the Founding Fathers of the European Union who offered us this integrated vision, understanding the risk of losing entire strategic sectors. Today it is essential to preserve this legacy, returning to a strategic vision and avoiding abstract approaches disconnected from the real context". This was stated by the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests Francesco Lollobrigida , speaking at the 20th edition of the Spain-Italy Dialogue Forum, which ended yesterday in Barcelona, an important moment of discussion to strengthen the historical and strategic ties between the two nations.

"With the Spanish Minister of Agriculture Luis Planas , we work in close coordination to promote European food sovereignty, also through the defense of agri-food excellence and the promotion of informative labeling systems, useful for protecting citizens and production chains", underlined Minister Lollobrigida , "only in this way can we build a European model that unites identity, sustainability and competitiveness".

For his part, Minister Planas assured that the agri-food sector is strategic and must occupy a prominent place in the European political agenda. In this sense, the Spanish minister defended the agri-food sector that must be a priority in the next community legislature, because otherwise "we would be making a serious strategic mistake in terms of competitiveness and sustainability".

Planas expressed the need to join forces to have a competitive and sustainable agri-food sector, as a cornerstone of rural territories, which guarantees long-term food security.

In his speech, the Iberian minister highlighted the good harmony between Spain and Italy in defending the interests of Mediterranean agriculture and fisheries, as befits two great agri-food powers. In fact, Spain and Italy represent more than a quarter of the value of European agricultural production and agri-food industry, and more than a fifth of all agri-food exports of the European Union to third countries.

For the minister, both countries play a strategic role in providing the population with safe food, produced with the highest standards of quality and sustainability. "Italy and Spain are united by quality, sustainability and safety to feed the European and global population," Planas stressed.