Brussels, 26/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - EU agriculture and fisheries ministers will meet in Brussels on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 September to discuss the revision of the cod recovery plan, take stock of the common agricultural policy (CAP) health check and debate the fruit and vegetable distribution scheme. The meeting will be chaired by French Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Michel Barnier. Fisheries issues will be dealt with on Monday, as will trilateral meetings, between the French Presidency, the Commission and each of the member states' delegations individually, on the CAP health check (these trilateral meetings will continue the following morning). On Tuesday 30 September, the Council will resume with a policy debate on the plan for the free distribution of fruit in schools.
Cod. Council will hold a policy debate on the proposal (of 2 April 2008) on the revision of the cod stocks recovery plan (see EUROPE 9634). Discussions will focus on: - the zones covered by the plan (the Commission proposes that the Celtic Sea be included); - fishing mortality reduction rates; - limiting of fishing effort (reference period, definition of effort groups, conditions for excluding gear not fishing for cod); - discards and selectivity (member states are encouraged to reduce discards and encourage selectivity). The European Parliament will deliver its opinion in October.
Fisheries agreement with Mauritania. On 15 July, the Council adopted a regulation adjusting the fisheries partnership agreement between the EU and Mauritania (see EUROPE 9705). Following the coup in Mauritania in August, the European Commission decided to suspend payment of the financial compensation to be paid by the EU to the authorities of the country in exchange for the right for EU vessels to fish in Mauritanian waters. The EU has until 16 October to make payment. If it fails to do so, the agreement can be terminated by either of the parties. The Commission is checking with Mauritania that the technical guarantees on the implementation of the agreement are in place. For the moment, EU vessels are continuing their fishing activities in the zone as normal.
CAP health check. In addition to the trilateral meetings (Presidency, Commission and individual member states), the Council will be briefed by Michel Barnier on progress of proceedings on the CAP health check. The French Presidency is still hopeful of a political agreement on this issue being reached on Tuesday 18 November. The European Parliament will adopt its opinion on the same day.
Fruit and vegetables in schools. On Tuesday 30 September, Ministers will hold a policy debate on the proposal for EU-subsidised schemes for distributing fruit and vegetables in schools. The intention is to help combat obesity among children. The proposed Community contribution is €90 million per year. The proposal has been well received by member states (see EUROPE 9741), although there are still question marks over certain points, such as the amount of the EU contribution and where the fruit is to be sourced.
Food aid for the most deprived in the EU. The Commission will present a proposal to the Council amending the programme for distributing food to the most deprived (see EUROPE 9742).
Cypriot aid. Cyprus wants to grant state aid to its farmers who have seen their harvests destroyed by drought. Should Cyprus take Article 88 (2) as a basis, the Council would have to come to a unanimous decision within three months of the request to grant state aid. The Commission is also carrying out an investigation into this aid, under normal procedures.
Other business. Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel will brief the Council on July's WTO negotiations on liberalising agricultural trade (Doha Round). The other points are: - combating climate change and its implications for the agriculture sector (requested by the Irish delegation); - use of the margin below the ceiling for heading 2 of the financial framework, “Preservation and management of natural resources”, which includes agriculture (requested by the Polish delegation); - blue tongue vaccination programmes (requested jointly by Belgium and the Netherlands); - the FLEGT action plan (illegal wood exploitation and trade) (requested by the Netherlands). (L.C./transl.rt)