22/01/2019 (Agence Europe) – Phil Hogan, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Egyptian Minister of Agriculture, H.E. Ezz El-Din Abu Steit, on Tuesday 22 January in Cairo, welcomed the bilateral relations on agriculture between the two parties. They confirmed the common interest in cooperation in the fields of agriculture and rural development, according to a joint statement. The subjects considered to be priorities in this context are sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, the EU's system of geographical indications, organic production and agricultural and rural development policies. The EU has reduced the SPS control rates on imports of Egyptian strawberries and table grapes into the EU market. An assessment is under way to authorise Egyptian exports of shellfish and molluscs to the EU. The EU has already accepted the import of industrial gelatine from Egypt. (LC)