Brussels, 07/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - In the agricultural domain, work under the Greek Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers in the first six months of 2014 will be dominated by implementation of the common agricultural policy (CAP) reform and negotiations for an agreement on the new EU strategy on the promotion of EU agricultural products.
According to the Council's provisional work programme for the first six months of 2014, during the first meeting of EU agriculture ministers this year on 17 February the European Commission will present its report on the possible labelling of agricultural products from the islands (the report on the labelling of local agriculture was presented in December 2013), as well as a report (which still has to be adopted by the Commission) on the protection of minor crops - mainly fruit and vegetables. During this Agriculture Council, the Commission is due to provide information on the European innovation partnership and the programme for distributing fruit in schools.
On 24 March, the Commission will present its proposals to the Council on organic production and on specific measures for agriculture in the outermost regions, as well - probably - as its report on the fruit and vegetable sector.
The Greek Presidency, for its part, will provide information on the work under way on the 2001 directive on honey (the issue of GMO pollen).
In Luxembourg on 14 April, the 28 EU member states will try to adopt a common approach on the proposal for reforming the common information and promotion policy for agricultural and food products - about which there was an initial discussion in December 2013.
Lastly, in Luxembourg on 16 June, the ministers will review the work under way on organic agriculture, the animal and vegetable health package, veterinary medicines and medicated feed for animals, and revision of the 2008 regulation on the definition, presentation, labelling and protection of the geographical indications of spirit drinks. The Commission is also due to present its report on the milk package.
Implementing the CAP. After the definitive adoption of the CAP reform regulations by the Council on 16 December, the package of application measures - the delegated acts - is due to be approved by the Commission at the beginning of March, according to European Commissioner for Agriculture Dacian Ciolos. The Council and the European Parliament will then have around two months to express any possible objections. However, as Ciolos reiterated, it is up to the member states “to decide how they count on implementing the reform, on the basis of the options offered by the agreement”. The new arrangements on the common organisation of the market enter into force on 1 January, and those for direct payments only at the beginning of 2015, whilst the new rural development programmes will be developed over the course of the year. (LC/transl.fl)