Brussels, 21/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - A packed agenda awaits the agriculture ministers of the EU, in Brussels on Monday 24 March (see other article on fisheries subjects): promotion of EU agricultural products (text on which the Greek Presidency wishes to reach an agreement at all costs over the next few weeks), proposed new regulatory framework for the organic farming sector, report on the 2007 reform of the fruit and vegetable sector, Commission's report on origin labelling for processed meat, and debate on international trade in agricultural products.
Over lunch, the ministers will hold a debate on the international trade in agricultural products and, in particular, ongoing negotiations for bilateral agreements.
Promotion of products. On the promotion of agricultural products, as the agriculture committee of the European Parliament decided on its position on 17 March, the Greek Presidency of the Council wishes to continue negotiations on this dossier with all possible speed. It has convened a special meeting of the experts of the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) to formalise an agreement of the Council on 24 March and then, the next day, to start trialogue talks with representatives of the European Parliament and the Commission. A further meeting of the SCA will be held on 27 March, followed by a final trialogue session, before reaching a compromise between the institutions by the end of the month.
Organic production and fruit and vegetables. The Commission will present the Council with its proposed revision of the rules on organic farming (see EUROPE 11003 on the draft of which EUROPE has previously published details). This draft aims first and foremost to remove most of the derogations in force. It also provides for the rules on production and labelling to be simplified and clarified, and to improve the control system and import regime, in order to prevent fraud. The Commission's intention is not, however, to call into question the very substance of the current provisions, as many member states, such as Spain, Germany and Austria, fear.
The Commission will also present the ministers with its report on the results of the 2007 reform of the fruit and vegetable sector, which notes that “the continuing absence of or small numbers of” producer organisations in certain member states “remains a major issue”. It takes the view that “there are grounds to review the current regime of the Union”, postponing the presentation of legislative proposals to “a subsequent stage”, in other words to the college of commissioners which will take over from the current one on 1 November this year. The agricultural organisations and cooperatives of the EU nonetheless take the view that this report “shows that the system is working correctly”. They argue that it should be “preserved and improved”, but that it will be necessary to “cut red tape and increase legal security as regards the rules for the producer organisations”.
Origin of meat. The Commission will present the ministers with its report on the labelling of the origin of meat in processed products. Following the scandal of horse meat sold as beef, certain member states, France in particular, have called for a legislative proposal for an obligatory reference to the country of origin of the meat in ready meals. However, the Commission takes the view that this mechanism could increase production costs in the sector by between 15 and 50%. It therefore prefers to leave it up to the member states to take this initiative. This first official table round on the issue will make it possible to see how opinions stand on this dossier.
Honey, rice and milk. Under any other business, the member states will be provided with information about the “honey for breakfast” initiative (a communication campaign based on bee-keeping, which has been held in Slovenia for seven years), about the global forum on family farming, which was held in Budapest from 4 to 6 March, and about the situation of the European rice market (by request of the Italian delegation), which is facing increasing imports from the least-developed countries. At the Council on 16 December, the European Commission stated, as regards this last point, that it was not necessary to take any measures, but that it was keeping a close eye on the situation.
A last-minute point under any other business on milk. Several countries (Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Austria, Ireland, Denmark, Latvia, Estonia, Belgium and Luxembourg) have been calling, in the framework of the “soft landing” when dairy quotas come to an end in 2015, for the fat content coefficients to be adjusted as of this year in order to avoid having to pay a superlevy in the event that quotas are exceeded. This decision would be tantamount to ending the production quota system a year ahead of time. This is the last chance for these member states to try to make their voices heard: indeed, if approved this decision would be taken very quickly, before the start of the milk marketing year to run from 1 April. (LC).