Brussels, 14/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - Three days, from Monday 17 to Wednesday 19 December, will not be too long for EU agriculture and fisheries ministers to negotiate a political agreement on the reform of the wine sector and a compromise on setting total allowable catches (TACs) and fish quotas for 2008. The Council will also have several other issues to deal with, such as the proposed increase in milk quotas, the draft directive on the use of pesticides and electronic identification for small ruminants.
According to the still provisional timetable, negotiation on reform of the wine sector will begin on Monday 17 December, with the presentation of a first compromise text. The other agricultural matters and those that fall under the responsibility of Public Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou will be dealt with on that same day. Talks on fishing possibilities will begin officially on Tuesday 18 December and end the following morning. The debate on wine sector reform is likely to extend over the three days scheduled, until Wednesday 19 December.
Wine. The Council will try to reach a political agreement on the reform of the common organisation of the market (COM) in wine. For this, differences on several issues will have to be overcome. The Commission is proposing that the system of planting rights (due to expire in 2010) be extended until 2013, and that it be removed from 1 January 2014. France is the most resolutely opposed to liberalisation of planting rights on that date. With the support of some member states, including Germany, it is calling for a rendez-vous clause to be provided for in 2012, to allow sufficient time to be able to assess the effects of the reform on the market. One possible compromise would be to phase out duties for wines protected by designations of origin or geographical indications (quality wines will not be affected by the deregulation of planting rights). The second difficult issue is the eligible measures in the national envelopes allocated to member states. Producer countries want more ambitious promotional campaigns, particularly in the EU (the Commission has proposed €120 million per year for promotion in third countries and only €3 million to promote wine in the EU). Spain is calling for direct aid for producers affected by the end of Community aid for distilling wine into potable spirits. France is calling for the retention of two forms of aid: aid for distillation of by-products from wine making and the compulsory crisis distillation measure. At this point, the Commission is unwilling to authorise the retention of crisis distillation. It accepts that the funds in national envelopes can be used for measures related to research and the restructuring of wine cellars.
No fewer than 20 EU member states, with Germany and Austria at their head, oppose the Commission's idea banning the enrichment of wine by adding sugar (chaptalisation) in future. The Commission is likely to concede on this point, in return for strict conditions for the use of this method and perhaps, too, on technical procedures to reduce the level of enrichment. In parallel, Italy is expected to succeed in retaining aid for must enrichment, through the national envelopes. Experts from the member states have already settled a number of issues, in particular arrangements for grubbing up of vines. 175,000 hectares of vines are to be grubbed up (25,000 fewer than planned) over three years, with premiums of €460 million in 2009, €334 million in 2010 and €276 million in 2011.
Spirits. The Council is expected to adopt the new regulation on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks, following the compromise between the institutions adopted on first reading by the European Parliament on 19 June (see EUROPE 9449). The agreement provides for two categories of vodka: one produced from potatoes and/or cereals (to be labelled only “vodka”), and the other obtained from other raw materials. This second type of vodka will carry a label indicating that it has been “made from” and listing the various ingredients. Other parts of the compromise include the introduction of demanding quality policies for spirits and the retention of the ban on adding flavours to eaux-de-vie.
Milk quotas. The Commission will present a proposal for a 2% increase in milk quotas from 1 April 2008 (see EUROPE 9563).
Cereals. Thanks to a technical agreement, the Council is likely to adopt, without debate, the legislative act suspending import duties on all kinds of cereals, apart from oats, for the current marketing year, which will end on 30 June 2008.
Small ruminants. Following the EP vote, the Council is expected to agree to set a deadline of 31 December 2009 for the introduction of compulsory electronic identification for small ruminants. This system, which farmers say is very expensive, will ensure the traceability of each animal, notably to be able to combat epizootics more effectively.
Animal health. The Council will adopt without debate: - the conclusions on the Community animal health strategy proposed by the Commission in September; - a proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and Council amending the 1996 directive on the prohibition on the use of certain substances having a hormonal or thyreostatic action and of beta agonists in stockfarming.
Pesticides. The Council of Ministers are likely to reach political agreement on a common position on a draft directive setting up a framework for Community action to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides (see EUROPE 9529 for outcome of first reading vote in the European Parliament). This regulation aims to encourage the rational use of pesticides and the use of non-chemical methods of plant protection. Some difficult points remain to be resolved at ministerial level, including a ban on aerial spraying (more or less widespread exemptions have been sought), protection of the aquatic environment and exceptions to the principle of inspection of equipment. The Council will be informed of progress in discussions on the related issue of the proposal on the marketing of plant protection products. Despite real progress at expert level, the debate on provisional authorisations and substitution products is proving more difficult. The Portuguese presidency will also take stock of progress on the draft regulation providing Community procedures for setting maximum residue limits of pharmacological substances in animal-based foodstuffs.
Food improvement agents. The Council should reach political agreement on a common position on a raft of proposals on food improvement agents (additives, enzymes and food flavourings). In July, Parliament delivered its first reading opinion on the regulations proposed. On 24 October, the Commission adopted amended legislative proposals (mentioning the Parliament amendments that it found acceptable). The aim of these proposals is to revise current legislation on food additives and flavourings and to introduce a simplified uniform authorisation procedure for food additives, flavourings and enzymes (a procedure based on the opinion of the scientific advice of the European Food Safety Authority).
Fisheries. The Council is likely to reach a compromise on 2008 TACs and quotas (see EUROPE 9553 for Commission proposals of 28 November). Several countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands are calling for there to be no reduction in 2008 of the number of days fishing in cod recovery plan zones (North Sea, Irish Sea, West Scotland, Eastern Channel, Skagerrak and Kattegat). The Commission is proposing a reduction in fishing effort of between 10% and 15%. The above countries effectively want the status quo to be maintained on days at sea, while awaiting a revised cod recovery plan in 2009. Another politically sensitive subject is the protection of the cold water coral reef off the coast of Ireland. The Irish government wants fishing activities banned in four zones covering a total of 2,500 km2 in the area known as the “porcupine basin”. Several member states, including France, Spain and Germany, are trying to limit these restrictions as much as possible to authorise some fishing above these sensitive sites.
Here is a brief summary of member states' priorities in negotiations. The United Kingdom has called for an increase in the TAC for megrim in the North Sea and plaice in the Irish Sea, and for haddock catches in West Scotland and the Celtic Sea and lemon sole catches to be maintained at their 2007 levels. Spain is calling for no reduction in accepted catches of monkfish, megrim and prawns. Italy is calling for a 350 gramme minimum landing weight (rather than the 450 gr proposed) for octopus. Denmark has, at this point, spoken of the problem of sharing the TAC for sandeel in the North Sea. Germany is against too large an industrial fishing herring quota in the North Sea, and has called for current levels of catches of turbot and brill to be retained. Whiting, megrim, haddock, sole, plaice, pollack and ling are on Ireland's shopping list. France has a raft of demands, such as a 10% rise in the TAC for cod in the North Sea (the Commission wants a 25% reduction), no further reduction in fishing effort for deep water species and a reasonable reduction (15%) in mackerel shark and dogfish. Unlike last year, France is not, at this stage, calling for the immediate resumption of the anchovy fishery in the Bay of Biscay. The Netherlands will defend its flat fish, turbot and brill quotas. Among other things, Portugal is calling for the monkfish quota to remain unchanged, and a lesser reduction in days at sea than that proposed for vessels fishing for Atlantic hake and Iberian prawn. (L.C.)