Brussels, 13/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - EU agriculture ministers will meet in Brussels on Monday 16 November to discuss measures to simplify common agricultural policy (CAP) rules and the crisis that is hitting a number of markets, such as milk, pigmeat and sugar.
European Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan is expected to present a new package of CAP simplification measures (see EUROPE 11426). The Commission will submit a series of delegated and implementing acts simplifying the integrated management and monitoring system (in particular in relation to declaration of ecological focus areas which forms part of the greening of aid), compliance of greening returns, implementation of agri-environmental measures, the regime for young farmers and coupled support (i.e. aid still linked to production levels) that is optional in the new CAP. Most of the simplified rules will come into force from 2016.
A number of simplifications affecting the single CMO (common market organisation) regulation will also be presented. The Commission is preparing delegated acts on public intervention and private storage aid, designations of origin (transnational and imported), import licences and the ISSAM project (management and monitoring support system for implementation of the CAP and the CMO). Acts relating to simplification of the CMO for fruit and vegetables and wine programmes are expected to follow. Provisions on the labelling of wines, classification of carcasses and export refunds are planned for mid-2016.
€500 million package. A further important issue for the Council is market development and implementation of the €500 million package of support measures presented in September. The Commission will have to be able to demonstrate the effectiveness of these measures, particularly with regard to the milk market, almost two months after they were announced. According to a note from the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the EU, prices for dairy products have increased since the end of August, even though it is still too soon to talk of any “steady recovery”. The Commission is likely to make clear if and when it intends to activate the new pigmeat storage programme, with several countries calling for this instrument to be made available. Still with regard to the emergency plan, the Commission launched a call on 6 November for applications to become part of the task force on agricultural markets (some 15 places are available).
Dairy farmers belonging to the European Milk Board (EMB) held demonstrations in a number of countries on 12 November and will hold a press conference in Brussels on Monday morning to denounce the ineffectiveness of the measures put in place by the EU and to call for a market responsibility programme (under which there would be a voluntary cut-back on deliveries in return for aid). European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC) has written to European ministers calling for new public market regulation instruments that can assure farmers of a fair income.
In the “any other business” section, Belgium will ask the Commission to report on the state of play in its discussions with Moscow on the embargo imposed by Russia on the import of pigmeat (after a case of African swine fever was discovered in the EU). Several pork products are not affected by the political embargo (live pigs, fats, bacon and offal) but Russia nonetheless refuses to import them on health grounds. Exports could resume if an agreement were reached with Russian veterinary services. This would help eliminate gluts on the European market.
International, sugar and co-decision powers. The Commission will take stock of progress in international trade discussions being conducted with third countries and within the WTO. The Luxembourg Presidency will brief the Council on developments in discussions with the European Parliament on merging the schemes for distributing fruit and vegetables and milk in schools. Talks are currently at a standstill because agreement cannot be reached on co-decision powers in budgetary aspects of the issue (see EUROPE 11429). At the request of the Italian delegation, ministers will discuss the future of the sugar sector, currently in a difficult economic situation. Italy wants measures to ensure a soft landing when the quota system comes to an end in 2017. These include setting up a high-level group and using the money generated by the “sugar tax” for measures to support the sector. Lastly, the Czech delegation will brief the ministers on the outcome of the meeting of the general directors on hunting and game management in the EU which took place in Prague on 1 September. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)