Brussels, 29/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Irish Presidency's main objectives for farming are to 'facilitate the application of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to the new Member States and to continue the process of simplification of the CAP initiated by the Mid-Term Review decisions of last June'. For fisheries, the Council will begin under the Irish Presidency tough negotiations on reconstituting stocks of newly endangered species, like sole in the Channel and the Bay of Biscay, nephrops, monkfish and hake off the Spanish peninsula, and cod in the Irish Sea.
The Irish Presidency is planning to conclude the negotiations on the reform of the markets for Mediterranean products at the 22 and 23 March Council (olive oil, tobacco and cotton), along with hops. It will continue the examination of issues relating to the reform of the sugar regime. The Irish Presidency hopes to progress the proposals expected from the Commission on the policy framework to apply to rural development during the period of the next Financial Perspective. At the 9 to 11 May Summit in Killarney, ministers will consider how the impact of CAP reform on international trade as well as opportunities arising from existing and future international arrangements can best be communicated to the EU's trading partners. The Presidency will aim to progress agreement on an Action Plan for organic farming, which is expected from the Commission in the first half of 2004. Ministers will work closely with the new Member States on any procedural or substantive issues that affect them particularly with regard to their accession on 1 May 2004 and will work on regulations to apply the reform of the CAP decided in June to extend this to the new Member States (see Europe of 28 October, p.10).
On food safety, the Council aims to strike political agreement on strengthening controls on food and animal feed and setting maximum levels of pesticide traces in animal and vegetable products (at the 21/23 March Council). At the 26/27 April Council, agreement will be sought on the new rules on animal welfare during transport.
On issues connected with the Common Fisheries Policy, alongside negotiating plans for restoring endangered species, the Council will aim to adopt a series of important legislative proposals, including the setting up of regional consultation councils (adoption expected in March); banning the use of trawlers off the North-West coast of Scotland to protect the endangered cold water coral (adoption expected in March); new measures for managing fishing resources in the Mediterranean (political agreement expected at the 24/25 May Council); and new measures to protect dolphins and porpoises (at the March Council).