EU agriculture ministers will meet in Brussels on 6 November to discuss international trade, soil management and sustainable use of pesticides.
The European Commission will brief ministers on international trade issues, such as the current talks with Mercosur and Mexico ahead of the WTO ministerial conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 10 to 13 December. In this regard, France has prepared a paper backed by Austria, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia that calls on the European Commission to take a cautious approach. The plan to put a cap on trade-distorting internal aid unveiled jointly by the EU and Brazil in July for the WTO conference should not involve, says France, any commitment that would require changes to the current CAP or which could anticipate internal discussion on the post-2020 CAP, thus leaving open the possibility of using any type of internal support instrument, including all the blue box categories of instrument (aid linked to limits on production).
With Brazil, the EU in effect unveiled a proposal that the European Commission admits will reduce its room for manoeuvre by €50 to 60 billion. The French paper notes the Commission’s commitment to defend sensitive agricultural sectors in bilateral and multilateral talks while proactively promoting the EU’s interests.
Soil and pesticides
The EU28 ministers will discuss soil management. The Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU wants to have farm minister adopt a conclusions document on this subject (see EUROPE 11894). The ministers will be asked two questions: ‘How can the current high level of agricultural production be maintained while ensuring sustainable management of agricultural soil and what measures are needed to achieve this objective?’ And ‘What are the best strategies for projecting agricultural soil and avoiding the artificialisation of soil both at EU level and in the member states?’
The European Commission will unveil a report published on 10 October on member states’ national action plans and progress in implementing a 2009 directive on sustainable use of pesticides, implementation that the document says is insufficient (see EUROPE 11880).
Double food quality and an extended Visegrad group
Among the miscellaneous items, the Czech Republic and Slovakia will inform the Council of the outcome of a summit they held in Bratislava on 13 October with Hungary and Poland on double food quality for products sold in the EU (the same brand differing in quality from one member state to the next). The aim is to find options for a common approach in order to boost transparency and consumer confidence.
Following the holding of a meeting on 21 September of the farm ministers from the Visegrad group (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, extended to Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovenia), the Council will be briefed on statements on renewable energy and the bio economy adopted at the meeting. (Original version in French)