The Spanish and French agriculture ministers, Luis Planas and Marc Fesneau, said on Friday 26 August in Madrid that geographical indications and the sustainable use of pesticides would be high on the list of priorities for the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2023.
The two ministers discussed issues of common interest in view of the upcoming Spanish Presidency of the EU Council.
On agricultural geographical indications (GIs), Mr Planas argued for the maintenance of the current EU system, including the “full competence” of the European Commission to assess dossiers (see EUROPE 12970/2).
Mr Fesneau did not mention the controversial aspect of the proposal to give new tasks to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in the field of GIs. He felt that the EU had a system “that works quite well, so we will make sure in the reform - if there is a reform - that we have a system that works better. We must preserve this very European specificity of geographical indications”.
Another issue on the Spanish Presidency’s agenda is the proposal on the sustainable use of pesticides (see EUROPE 12995/11). “We must make progress in the sustainable use of plant protection products, but in such a way that farmers have access to alternatives and that the principle of reciprocity is taken into account”, Planas stressed.
The French Minister said that the use of pesticides must be reduced, which requires research and innovation (including new plant breeding techniques). Fesneau said that solutions should be offered to farmers that allow them to reduce pesticides and still produce. The issue of reciprocal standards for imports of products from third countries was also raised by the two ministers. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)