The priorities of the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU (first six months of 2017) in agriculture will be monitoring the market situation, simplifying common agricultural policy (CAP) rules and the future of the CAP.
The Maltese Presidency also takes over on the very sensitive issue of organic farming after the Slovak Presidency pulled out all the stops, though ultimately in vain, to get the EU institutions to agree on a compromise text (see EUROPE 11687).
Malta’s provisional programme for this first half of the year contains only four meetings of agriculture and fisheries ministers, on 23 January, 6 March, 3 April and 12 June. The traditional informal meeting will take place in Malta from 21 to 23 May.
Simplification and future of CAP, food chain, trade. On 23 January, the Maltese Presidency will set out its six-month work programme for agriculture ministers who will debate implementation of the package of support measures for the milk sector, taking a European Commission report as the basis for their discussions. The Council will also discuss international trade issues.
On 6 March, the Agriculture Council will discuss the future of the CAP (see EUROPE 11683). Also on the provisional agenda are the situation on agricultural markets and the state of play on efforts to improve the way the food supply chain works (see EUROPE 11691).
In Luxembourg on 3 April, ministers will discuss simplification of the CAP, in response to a Commission report on the implementation of ecological focus areas. The Council will take stock of the draft “omnibus” regulation presented by the Commission as part of the review of the EU’s 2014-2020 multiannual financial framework (MFF). Lastly, in Luxembourg on 12 June, ministers’ discussions will again turn to the situation on agricultural markets and international trade issues.
The Trade Council of 11 May will be devoted to the free-trade negotiations with Japan, Singapore and Mercosur, to preparation of the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference, to be held in Buenos Aires in December 2017, and to EU trade defence instruments.
On 1 July, Estonia will take over the presidency of the Council of the EU. According to a draft timetable, meetings of agriculture ministers will take place on 17 July, 9 October (in Luxembourg), 6 November and 11 December. The informal Agriculture Council meeting is pencilled in for Tallinn on 3 to 5 September. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)