Brussels, 12/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - In Luxembourg on Monday 16 June, the Agriculture Council will examine draft conclusions on the situation in the fruit and vegetables sector following the 2007 reform (see EUROPE 11078 and 11070).
At the meeting of the Special Committee on Agriculture of Tuesday 10 June, EU experts were divided over the draft conclusions. A group of countries (Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Romania, Slovenia and others) referred to a joint statement (by ten countries) insisting on the need for a better division of EU funds (for operational programmes) in the regions and countries in which the level of producers' organisations is low. These countries called, amongst other things, for a cut-off date to be set (before 2018) for legislative proposals to be presented.
Other countries, such as Italy and France, question the wording of these conclusions, which seems to provide for the Commission to be able to present new measures, whereas the new CAP (common agriculture policy) has not yet been implemented. These countries do not want a cut-off date, on the grounds that the current wording in the text of the conclusions is sufficient.
Another group of countries, including Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark, argue for a “thorough review” of the CMO (common market organisation) following its implementation, in order to steer it towards research and innovation.
At this stage, it is hard to predict whether the European agriculture ministers will adopt Council conclusions, as consensus appears unlikely, or whether the text will take the form of Greek Presidency conclusions. The Presidency may also decide to withdraw the text from the agenda. (LC)