The effects of the war in Ukraine on food security, the new text on the sustainable use of pesticides and the issue of geographical indications are among the priorities of the Czech Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of the year.
The situation of the agricultural markets will be assessed at the next Agriculture Councils.
Formal EU Council meetings will be held on 18 July, 26 September, 17-18 October, 21-22 November and 12-13 December. The traditional informal meeting of agriculture ministers will take place from 14 to 16 September in Prague.
Regarding the proposal on geographical indications, the Czech Presidency is planning a progress report on the state of negotiations at the December Council. The latest report by the French Presidency, dated 27 June (https://aeur.eu/f/2gs ), confirms among other things the “serious concerns” of EU delegations about the transfer of responsibilities from the European Commission to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
Pesticides. The Czech Presidency has scheduled an exchange of views at the next Agriculture Council on 18 July on the proposal on the sustainable use of pesticides and has prepared a note to this effect (https://aeur.eu/f/2gq ).
Other topics are expected to be added in the second semester with proposals on food labelling and on the reform of the promotion policy being prepared by the European Commission.
A presentation of the proposal on the promotion policy for agricultural products is planned for 26 September.
The Commission plans to present its proposal for a regulation on agricultural carbon removal certification on 30 November.
The other items on the agenda are, according to the provisional agendas (https://aeur.eu/f/2gu ): - the approval of the CAP strategic plans (18 July); - international trade (in October, with a likely item on the conclusion of a free trade agreement with New Zealand); - current challenges in the EU forestry sector and animal health (in November); - a study on the EU situation and options regarding the import, evaluation, production and marketing of biological control agents within the EU (in December). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)