Agenda raad: steun aan pluimveesector na vogelgriep, steunmaatregelen en nieuw beleid voor visserijsector, nieuwe vangstquota voor schol en tong in de Noordzee (en)

The Agriculture & Fisheries Council will meet in Luxembourg on Tuesday 25 April (starting at 10 a.m) under the Presidency of Mr Josef Pröll, Federal Minister for Agriculture, Forestry, the Environment and Water Management of Austria.

Council will start with the poultry market situation and avian influenza. The fisheries points will be dealt with afterwards. The Council is expected to end at about 2 p.m.

A press conference is scheduled at the end of the Council meeting.

The points on the agenda are:

Agriculture

Poultry sector: Market situation and support measures

On 29 March, the European Commission tabled a draft Regulation to allow the European Union budget to share the cost of market support measures in the eggs and poultry sector (see IP/06/400 and COM(2006) 153)

Since the beginning of the recent avian flu crisis, consumption of poultry and eggs has fallen dramatically in some Member States, leading to a sharp reduction in prices. The current Regulations governing the eggs and poultry market (Regulations (EC) N° 2771/75 and N° 2777/75) allow the EU to co-finance compensation measures only in cases where there is a case of avian flu on a farm or where farmers are prevented from moving their poultry because of restrictions imposed on veterinary orders. There is currently no possibility to provide EU aid to take account of market problems linked to a fall in sales caused by a loss of consumer confidence. Because of the gravity of the current market crisis, the Commission proposes to co-finance 50 percent of the cost of market support measures linked to a drop in consumption and prices of eggs and poultry.

The Council is expected to adopt this Regulation. Once adopted, Member States will have to submit their proposed measures for Commission approval through the Management Committee procedure.

AOB

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  WTO Negotiations: Information on the state of play by Mrs Fischer Boel
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  Avian influenza: A written information will update Ministers on recent developments regarding Avian Influenza and on measures adopted since the last Agriculture Council

Fisheries

Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on Improving the Economic Situation in the Fishing Industry - exchange of views

In recent years the fishing industry had had to make many difficult changes in the way it operates, as depleted fish stocks and unfavourable market conditions have eroded its profitability. The reform of the Common Fisheries Policy should lead to an economically healthier fishing industry, but the process of adjustment involved is often a painful one. The combination of depleted stocks, necessary management measures, heavy increases in operating costs and constant or diminishing income means that many vessels with high fuel consumption are now operating at a loss.

The Commission will present its Communication to Council, in which it identifies the sources of the economic difficulties and suggests avenues for addressing both the short-term and the long-term challenges facing the fishing industry, and will invite the Member States to participate in an exchange of views.

Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament "2008-2008 Action Plan for Simplifying and Improving the Common Fisheries Policy" - exchange of views

Following the communication from the Commission on "Implementing the Lisbon programme: A strategy for simplification of the regulatory environment" (COM(2005) 535), and on the basis of discussions held at the Commission's initiative on simplifying and improving the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) (COM(2004) 820), the Council reached in April 2005 conclusions (doc. 8077/05) calling on the Commission to continue its work and to present a multi-annual action plan.

Last July the Commission invited Member States and the various Parties concerned to establish priorities for simplifying the regulatory environment of the CFP.

In the light of the comments received during the consultation of all the stakeholder groups concerned, the Commission will present its Communication (COM (2005) 647) in which it sets out the simplification priorities and measures it plans to implement in the fisheries sector in the period 2006-2008, and will invite Member States to participate in an exchange of views.

Proposal for a Council Regulation establishing a Management Plan for Fisheries exploiting stocks of Plaice and Sole in the North Sea

According to scientists, the stock of plaice in the North Sea is currently being fished at unsustainable levels and the stock of sole is overfished in relation to long-term yields. The Commission has therefore adopted a long-term management plan for fisheries exploiting these stocks, which is designed to gradually adjust the level of fishing activity so as to achieve greater catches, larger and more stable stocks and more profitable fisheries. The plan defines target levels of fishing mortality (measure of fish killed by fishing) of 0.3 for plaice and 0.2 for sole. These are values which, according to scientific advice, will allow high yields in the long term, reduce discarding, and allow a reduced biological risk to the fish stocks. The tools to achieve these objectives are the same as those in the other long-term plans already in place. Fishing mortality will be reduced by 10% year-on-year until the target levels have been reached, while annual variations in TACs will be kept within 15% up or down. Other measures will involve the management of fishing days and specific control and monitoring measures.

The Presidency has tabled four questions in order to focus debate on the proposed management plan, and will invite the Member States to discuss the issues which these questions raise.