Brussels, 10/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - The Russian import ban is likely to dominate discussions at the Agriculture Council in Luxembourg on Monday 13 October, even though it features within the “any other business” section of the agenda.
EU agriculture ministers will discuss the Russian embargo on imports of agri-food imports from the EU. Poland has called for complementary measures to assist the dairy sector. It is arguing for export refunds to be put in place to help reduce the glut in the European market. Along with Finland and the Baltic States, it is calling, too, for direct compensatory aid for the hardest hit dairy producers, particularly those who have exceeded their production quota and who will face penalties in 2014-2015. Poland sees the best solution as adjusting the milk fat content coefficients in this, the last marketing year when quotas will still apply. The Council failed to reach agreement on this issue in July.
Italy, which chairs Council meetings, plans to discuss the situation in the African swine fever epidemic. The European Commission will also report to the Council on international trade in agricultural products.
Also on the Council agenda is a policy debate on the mid-term review of the EUROPE 2020 strategy, “for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth”. Farm ministers have to make their contribution to the review, scheduled for 2015, of the strategy whose main objectives are jobs, research and development, climate and energy, education, social inclusion and poverty reduction. While in education and climate and energy the EU is coming close to, or is about to achieve, the goals it set itself, the same cannot be said for jobs, research and development or poverty reduction, says the Italian Presidency. It will ask ministers to give their views on these final three issues. Has the EUROPE 2020 strategy produced any tangible results? How could the strategy be better articulated with the other policies which fall within the remit of the Agriculture Council? How can the common agricultural policy (CAP) best contribute to achieving the objectives of the EUROPE 2020 strategy, particularly on jobs?
The Commission will inform the Council of the negotiations taking place in the International Olive Council (IOC). (LC)