Brussels, 18/07/2016 (Agence Europe) - Slovak Agriculture Minister Gabriela Matecna, whose country will hold the presidency of the Council of the EU until the end of this year, again set out her priorities at the Agriculture Council on Monday 18 July: market monitoring and implementation of measures to stabilise markets, strengthening the position of farmers in the food supply chain, and forests and forestry (EUROPE 11593).
She stated, too, that strengthening farmers' position in the food supply chain will be the subject on the agenda of the informal meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Bratislava from 11 to 13 September.
Forests are an issue dear to the heart of the Slovak Presidency which will help prepare the EU position for two international meetings (FAO and United Nations). The Commission will also present proposals that will have an effect on forests, for example, on making the LULUCF (land use, land-use change and forestry) sector part of forest management and on the use of forests for energy purposes. Other issues highlighted by the Slovak minister were the rules on organic production (an inter-institutional compromise is expected before the end of 2016 and a trialogue meeting has been scheduled for the end of September), international agreements (the Council will discuss the keenly awaited study on the cumulative impact of free-trade agreements already concluded or under negotiation in October) and simplifying the common agricultural policy (CAP). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)