“The harvest won’t wait, and feeding Europe needs skilled hands. The European Commission and the EU Member States must take immediate and urgent action to facilitate seasonal workers’ mobility”, said Herbert Dorfmann MEP, EPP Group Spokesman for Agriculture and Rural Development.

“All over Europe, from north to south, farmers are dependent on seasonal workers during the peak periods of the growth season. These workers are professionals who, year after year, provide critical planting, harvesting and tending. Without their help, a good part of the harvest may be lost”, explained Dorfmann.

He welcomed the European Commission's guidelines on free movement of workers and underlined that “these guidelines could be enforced if the Commission would list the whole agricultural sector as a critical sector".

“Many of the workers also come from third countries outside the EU, which should not be forgotten”, recalled Dorfmann.

“There is no time to wait. EU Member States must implement these guidelines immediately and do their best to facilitate the travelling of seasonal workers to, from and through their territories”, stressed Dorfmann.

“We also welcome all efforts of the Member States to mobilise local working forces. During these times, Member States should allow people who cannot work at their normal job because of the pandemic to work in agriculture”, added Dorfmann.