Meeting the press in Malta on Monday 22 May, on the sidelines of the informal meeting of European agriculture ministers, Commissioner Phil Hogan was quite optimistic about the chances of reaching agreement on organic farming.
“I am adopting a positive position on getting an agreement” on revising organic farming rules at the last scheduled trialogue meeting on this issue on 31 May, he said. He stated that the Commission was working hard with the Presidency of the Council to achieve that end. “Everyone knows that there is agreement on 95% of the text”, he said once again. The outstanding 5%, however, relates to the most sensitive issues (presence of pesticides, checks, seeds, growing crops under glass), the commissioner acknowledged. “We are in the final discussions at the moment, and I am optimistic. I think the political will is now here”, he said.
During informal discussions with some delegations (including the French, German, Belgian, Luxembourg and Hungarian), journalists could see for themselves the desire on the part of the Council to bring the organic farming talks to a successful conclusion.
The Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) will try on 29 May to finalise a revised Council mandate ahead of the last chance meeting with the European Parliament on 31 May. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)