Brussels, 19/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on Monday 19 January, Petr Gandalovic, Czech Minister for Agriculture, presented his European counterparts with the work programme of the current Presidency for the fields of agriculture and fisheries (see EUROPE 9812). Mr Gandalovic will present the working programme in greater detail this Tuesday 20 January to the members of the committee on agriculture of the European Parliament, and to the members of the fisheries committee the day after.
Unsurprisingly, the Czech minister described the future of the common agricultural policy (CAP) as one of the most important subjects of the next six months, at the Agriculture Council. Amongst other things, the informal meeting of the European agriculture ministers (to take place from 30 May-2 June in Brno) will discuss the objectives of the CAP post-2013. The Czech Presidency feels that it is important to set equal conditions for all of the member states on the sum total of direct payments and the details for this aid to be paid. Mr Gandalovic also pleaded for a more modern CAP and said that discussions on the CAP post-2013 should not prejudge the budgetary debate on the forthcoming financial perspectives of the EU (from 2014).
Among the other priority subjects to be dealt with up to the end of June 2009, the Czech minister listed: - the revision of the quality policy for agricultural and food products of the EU (a debate will take place at the Council in May, in light of proposals by the Commission to be presented shortly before); - the simplification of legislation in the agricultural field (the Council should be in a position to adopt conclusions on this subject during its May meeting); - rural development, particularly the issue of delimiting "less-favoured areas"; - revision of labelling rules for foodstuffs; - revision of the legislation on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes; - improved welfare for animals bound for the abattoir; - an examination of the proposed regulation on the implementation of a programme to fight illegal trade in wood. Lastly, the Czech Presidency intends to stress, at international level, the importance of the role of the EU on the protection of the forests, particularly in the framework of the United Nations Forum on Forests and the International Convention on Tropical Timber. (L.C./transl.fl)