Brussels, 20/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - The EU Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries are to meet on Monday and Tuesday in Brussels under the Presidency of their Danish counterpart, Mariann Fischer Boel, in order to discuss reform of common fisheries policy (CFP) and take stock of the dossier on genetically modified foodstuffs and animal feed. The Council will begin at 11h00 with a public debate on the protection of animals during transport. We give below a summary of the points established on the agenda of this Council. Monday will be devoted to the agricultural and food safety issues and Tuesday to subjects linked to CFP):
Public debate on transport of livestock: The Presidency has forwarded a memorandum to ministers on this theme in order to structure debates around two key themes: maximum duration of journeys when transporting animals and improved controls by veterinary authorities. The Presidency, which attaches a great deal of importance to this issue, considers in the paper that there are a certain number of good reasons why the introduction of a maximum short transport duration should be envisaged, mainly for animals intended for slaughter; - the Commission's report of December 2000 shows that there are mainly incidents because of the lack of respect of timetables and the maximum duration of transport; - according to the scientific committee, the longer the journey, the more the welfare of the animals is put to the test; - the animals intended for slaughter (like culling cows, sow and ewes) may be more vulnerable and fragile than animals for reproduction; - unlike what used to be done, at the present time the meat of animals slaughtered may be transported in refrigerated trucks over long distances, which reduces the need to transport live animals for slaughter far from the herd, writes the Presidency; - shorter distances and transport during which the animals must not be unloaded reduce the risk of spreading animal diseases; - and transport of a maximum shorter duration without stops would be easier to control.
This debate ought to enable the Commission to take into account the recommendations of Member States before presenting a proposal for revising rules on animal welfare during transportation.
BSE: Commissioner David Byrne will inform Ministers on the latest developments on the subject, the last recommendation by the Scientific Management Committee on the risks to sheep intestines (see EUROPE 19 September p 14). France and the United Kingdom are expected to intervene and outline the different opinions given by their scientists who recommend that the intestines of small ruminants are considered as Specific Risk Material (SRM).
Genetically modified foodstuffs and an animal feed: the Presidency will be reviewing the progress carried out in the technical examination of this proposal (from July 2001 and already voted on in the European Parliament's first reading last July, see EUROPE 4 July p 12). The Presidency drafted a draft compromise text, which, according to the delegations, would form a good basis for discussions on how to reach a common Council position, although two issues remain unresolved: what procedure should it follow for authorising these products? Should there be a margin of tolerance for accidental GMO traces that have not been authorised but which have been assessed as not containing risks? The Presidency is hoping that the Council adopts a common position in October.
CAP Mid-term review: the Presidency aims to limit the Ministers' debate to proposals on arable crops, given that this is the area where the different technical groups have made the most progress. The positions expressed by the delegations in the different technical work groups do not differ from those expressed at the Special Agriculture council level (see EUROPE 27 July p 10): drop of 5% in cereal prices (ferocious opposition from France, Austria and Spain and support from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands; Sweden and the United Kingdom support the getting rid of the aid for rye in contrast to the six delegation group (Austria, Finland, Germany, France, Spain and Belgium) which believe that it is too radical; reduction of aid for durum (refusals led by Italy, followed by Spain, France and Portugal, whereas Austria, Sweden and the United Kingdom support the Commission); Sweden and the United Kingdom welcomed the Commission proposals on dried fodder (setting up of total aid of EUR 160 million instead of current measures and the maintaining of a single and simplified aid scheme for dehydrated fodder, in contrast to other Member States such as Germany, France or the Netherlands, which insist on the negative consequences which will result for the producers and the processing industries; compulsory introduction for a freeze on long-term fields (10 years) is meeting opposition from most Member States; "carbon loans" (support for energy crops due creation of aid of EUR 45 per hectare for a guaranteed maximum surface of 1.5 million hectares to be shared out among Member States). It appears that only France is ready to accept these proposals in return for changes to quota distribution.
The Commission will also explain its progress in the preparation of an action plan on organic farming. In other areas, Spain will tackle the case of current negotiations with the USA on the trade agreement on wine. Spain is worried about the Sherry and Malaga labels, which risk losing protection because of US legislation (D'Amato bill, 1997).
CFR reform: on the basis of a Presidency document, the Council will hold an orientation debate on the main themes of reform - preservation and exploitation of fish stocks (multi-annual management plans, restrictions on fishing effort, reductions in catches, minimum size of nets etc), the fleet and the structural policy (including aid incentives for dismantling fishing fleets) and controls and reinforcement of fisheries legislation. (See EUROPE 31 July pp 8-9). The Presidency is not expecting to draw concrete conclusions from this debate but should be able to give indications on the subjects to take up or add during the next Council on 14-16 October. The Presidency is keen to propose a compromise paper to Ministers on the reform, during the Council session on 27-29 November in Brussels.
Modification of 2002 quotas: the Council could reach a policy agreement on the basis of the Presidency compromise on the Commission proposal modifying certain fishing possibilities in 2002 (see EUROPE 8 August p 3). The main problem is the rules conforming with the Court of Justice's decision last April on quota transfers (see EUROPE 20 April), which France, supported by other delegations, oppose due to the modification on anchovy fishing rights). France is refusing to allow Portugal certain fishing possibilities because it regards quota transfers have already taken place between the two parties and it is therefore impossible to make fish that has already been fished, available. Paris believes that the Commission proposal came too late. This subject is due to be discussed on Friday afternoon at Ambassador level for the fifteen (Coreper).