Brussels, 04/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - Continuation of negotiations on the reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP) will be the main dish on offer to European ministers from the Danish Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers. Also on the agenda will be animal welfare, improving the competiveness of agriculture, simplification of the CAP and a new WTO (World Trade Organisation) agreement on trade liberalisation.
On its website, the Danish Presidency states that it “will give maximum momentum to the negotiations of the Commission's proposal for a new common agricultural policy”. The proposal for the period 2014-2020, presented by the Commission in autumn 2011, “suggests widening the scope of the CAP in order to support innovation, research and development, as well as measures which benefit the environment and climate”, says Denmark, which holds a liberal position on the CAP and is pushing for radical reform of aid. It argues for farm subsidies to be targeted towards innovation, research and development, and “will seek to ensure that in the future it is possible to target farm subsidies towards e.g. the development of biogas plants and similar actions of benefit to the environment”. Furthermore, it should be possible, the new Presidency says, to use the entire CAP for targeted interventions towards environmentally friendly agricultural production for the benefit of, for example, climate and the environment.
Improving competitiveness. Denmark believes that agricultural policy should help to improve the competitiveness of agriculture, both locally and globally, through innovation and the development of technology and with minimal distortion of competition.
The Danish Presidency will work towards simplification of the CAP in order to alleviate administrative burdens for industry, but without compromising food quality or safety.
WTO. The Danish Presidency wants to promote the multilateral negotiations on a new WTO agreement, the Doha Round. In parallel with the Doha Round, Denmark will continue its efforts to strengthen bilateral and regional free-trade agreements and the European neighbourhood policy.
European environment ministers must also address two sensitive issues: revision of legislation on genetically modified organisms and indirect changes in land use resulting from biofuel productions (see related article).
Danish European Affairs Minister Nicolai Wammen said in mid-December that, among the priorities of the first half of this year, were negotiations on the EU multiannual financial framework for 2014-2020, alongside reform of the main policy areas which receive Community funding, such as the ACP, cohesion policy and the research and development programme.
The Danish Presidency will attempt, too, to reach agreement on the package under discussion on the quality of agricultural produce policy, highlighting the use of antibiotics in both human and veterinary medicine and increasing antimicrobial resistance, and will make animal welfare a priority, with the Agriculture Council discussing the Commission report on animal protection during transport.
The European Commission proposals on the CAP post-2013 will, then, be on the agenda for discussion at virtually all the meetings of the Agriculture Council under Danish presidency (in January, March, April, May and June). The aim is to be able to bring forward a Presidency progress report on CAP reform (there may be two Agriculture Councils in June to debate the reform) to pave the way for an agreement before the end of the year, under Cypriot presidency. Discussion at the informal meeting of European agriculture ministers in Horsens (Denmark) on 3-5 June will also be dominated by CAP reform.
The provisional agendas for the Agriculture Councils are as follows: 23 January: CAP reform, the Presidency work programme, and the communication on animal protection and welfare strategy 2011-2015; 23 February: debate on simplification of the CAP; 19-20 March: debate on the direct payment and rural development issues of CAP reform; 26-27 April (in Luxembourg): CAP reform package, and presentation for ministers of a Commission report on the application of the 2007 regulation on organic production and labelling of organic produce; 14-15 May: CAP reform, issues on direct payments and cross-cutting rules; 18-19 June (in Luxembourg): the Presidency will present a report on progress made in discussions on reform of the CAP, and adoption of conclusions on protection of animals during transport and on the 2011-2015 strategy on animal protection and welfare. It is possible that the Council will adopt conclusions on an action plan on antimicrobial resistance, a matter which is causing increasing concern. (LC/transl.rt)