Germany will be heading the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in the second half of 2020 and, as well as reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), on which the EU ministers are expected to reach political agreement in October, it will be making animal welfare one of its priorities. Julia Klöckner, Germany’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, wants to make progress with the debate on a uniform European animal welfare label. Brexit is also likely to be a major topic for discussion for Agriculture Ministers, and particularly Fisheries Ministers.
At the first meeting of the Agriculture Council on 20 July, there will be a discussion about the new CAP and its links with the Farm to Fork strategy. Janusz Wojciechowski, the European Commissioner for Agriculture, will also provide an update on the status of agricultural markets.
CAP and fishing quotas. The issue of animal welfare will be on the agenda of the informal ministerial meeting that is due to take place in Koblenz between 30 August and 1 September. Discussions on the next CAP will continue on 21-22 September, when the Commission is expected to present an overview of international trade issues, including the negotiations between the EU and the United Kingdom. At the meeting in Luxembourg on 19 and 20 October, the Presidency would like to agree on a general approach to CAP reform and adopt the conclusions on the Farm to Fork strategy. Fisheries will also be on the agenda, including the matter of setting fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2021, the 2021 consultations between the EU and Norway, and the annual meeting of ICCAT (the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) in Antalya at the end of November.
Brexit focus of attention. On 16 and 17 November, fisheries matters will dominate the discussions; this will include adoption of the Regulation on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and a partial general approach on the control Regulation. The German Presidency would also like to formally adopt the transitional CAP Regulation for 2021 and 2022 and finalise the conclusions on animal welfare labelling during these discussions. There are also plans for a debate on the action plan for organic farming, if the European Commission has presented the plan by then. And the Commission will provide another update on the status of agricultural markets. The Presidency will present an assessment of progress on food waste at this meeting.
Lastly, discussions on fishing opportunities will again take up the bulk of the discussions on 15 and 16 December. Germany is also planning to adopt conclusions on front-of-package nutrition labelling, Wojciechowski will present an update on international agricultural trade issues, and the EU-United Kingdom relationship will once again be the focus of attention.