Brussels, 25/11/2004 (Agence Europe) - On Monday the Agriculture and Fisheries Council discussed development cooperation in agricultural research, in light of information provided by the Dutch presidency. The European Commission agreed to Member State's wishes to organise at the beginning of February 2005 (under the Luxembourg presidency), a high level meeting on agricultural research to reflect on the initiatives for improving cooperation between the research funding bodies. The Standing Committee for Agricultural Research (SCAR) will set up this high level contact point. The groups will meet once a year.
In answers to a questionnaire from the presidency, Member States mentioned many research issues on which they would like to cooperate: - production and sustainable development; - foodstuffs (food safety and quality); - science and technology (biotechnology, genomics and GMOs); -reform of the CAP, rural development, animal health and welfare, biodiversity and biosecurity.