Voorbereiding Raad Landbouw/Visserij 24-25 Oktober 2006
The Agriculture & Fisheries Council will meet in Luxembourg on Tuesday 24 (starting at 10 a.m.) and Wednesday 25 October under the Presidency of Mr Juha Korkeaoja, Minister for Agriculture and Forestry of Finland. Commissioners Mariann Fischer Boel and Joe Borg will represent the Commission at the meeting.
Press conferences are scheduled on Tuesday evening and Wednesday noon.
On Tuesday, over lunch (staring at 13.15), ministers will have a discussion on "the European model of agriculture: Challenges ahead". At the beginning of the afternoon, a pubic deliberation on the spirit drinks proposal is scheduled.
The points on the agenda are:
Fisheries
Council Regulation fixing the fishing opportunities and associated conditions for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks applicable in the Baltic Sea for 2007
The Council will discuss the Commission's proposal on fishing opportunities and associated conditions for the Baltic Sea for 2007 (see IP/06/1147). The proposal is part of the Commission's "frontloading" initiative, which aims to reduce pressure on the December Council meeting at which annual decisions on fishing possibilities are traditionally taken and also provide more time to discuss the other proposals tabled earlier. This is the second time that Baltic TACs have been presented in a separate proposal. The scientific advice on which this proposal is based was delivered by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) in June 2006, and has already been subject to consultations with stakeholders, in particular through the Baltic Regional Advisory Council. The proposal is made up of three components: TACs and quotas, limitations on fishing effort, and associated technical and control measures.
While most Baltic fish stocks are in reasonably good condition, scientists remain seriously concerned about the condition of the cod stocks. ICES has again recommended closing the Eastern Baltic cod fishery until a recovery plan is set up. On 24 July, the Commission adopted a proposal for a multi-annual plan to rebuild and maintain cod stocks in the Baltic Sea at safe biological levels. This proposal is currently before both the Council and the European Parliament, and it is hoped that the plan will come into force next year. The Commission is therefore proposing to continue the gradual approach foreseen in last year's measures, in line with the provisions of the proposed multi-annual plan.
As far as other stocks are concerned, the Commission is proposing an overall increase in herring and sprat catches, and no change on plaice. On the other hand, the salmon TAC proposed is in line with both scientific advice and the current level of actual landings. This means a reduction of 20% in the TAC for Atlantic salmon in the main basin.
As regards fishing effort on cod, the Commission proposes maintaining the closed areas and periods agreed in 2006, while increasing the number of additional closed days for demersal gear (for bottom-dwelling fish species) by 10% in line with the multi-annual plan. The derogation exempting vessels under 12 metres using bottom set nets from this measure would also be maintained.
EU/Norway annual consultations – exchange of views
The EU and Norway signed a bilateral Fisheries Agreement in 1980 covering a number of stocks in the North Sea. For those shared stocks which are jointly managed (cod, haddock, herring, plaice, saithe, whiting and mackerel), annual TACs are set by agreement between the EU and Norway. The agreement requires that fishing possibilities be balanced, and this is ensured through the reciprocal exchange of quotas, including for those stocks for which there are no joint management arrangements.
The Commission will invite Council to express its views on the best approach to take in this year's negotiations. The possibility of developing long-term management plans for jointly managed shared stocks will also be discussed.
Communication from the Commission to Council: fishing opportunities for 2007 – policy statement from the European Commission
In May 2006, the Commission adopted a Communication on improving consultation on Community fisheries management which sets out the rationale and working method which underlie the "frontloading" exercise (see IP/06/681). As part of this new approach, the Commission intends to publish a policy statement in the spring each year outlining the principles which will guide it in setting the following year's TACs and quotas.
As this is still a transitional period towards this new approach, this year's policy statement on fishing opportunities was adopted only in September (see IP/06/1198). The statement was drafted in advance of the publication of scientific advice on the main commercial stocks by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. It therefore contains no concrete figures for possible TACs, but instead discusses how the EU can ensure that these crucial management measures are always proportionate to the biological risk facing the stocks concerned.
The Commission has therefore classified fish stocks into categories defined by level of biological risk. For all the fish stocks in each of these categories, similar management measures will be proposed. The 6 categories of fish stocks identified are: 1) stocks which are currently fished according to the principles of maximum sustainable yield (MSY), 2) stocks that are overfished with regard to MSY but inside safe biological limits, 3) stocks outside safe biological limits, 4) stocks subject to long-term plans, 5) short-lived species and 6) stocks for which the precise state is unknown but which are not at high biological risk.
The Commission's priorities for 2007 are, firstly, to prevent the collapse of those stocks which are facing extreme risk, and secondly, to bring fishing pressure on other stocks which are currently overfished back into line with the MSY approach, as outlined in the Commission's Communication on implementing sustainability in EU fisheries (see IP/06/931).
The Commission will invite the Council to express their views on the principles outlined in the policy statement, and to make suggestions as to how the statement itself might be improved in future years.
AOB
Centralised management of expenses in the fishery sector
In 2005, Council adopted a Regulation on the financing of the Common Agricultural Policy which also introduced the centralised management of expenses into certain areas of the Common Fisheries Policy. The Commission will explain to the Council how this new system will be organised to reimburse expenditure incurred by Member States after 15th October 2006 with specific reference to the Common Organisation of the Market for fisheries and aquaculture products.
Agriculture
Spirit drinks
On 15 December 2005, the Commission adopted a proposal to update the EU spirit drinks legislation (see IP/05/1659). Based on existing EU legislation on spirit drinks, it largely enhances applicability, readability and clarity, by adapting the regulations to new technical requirements. The draft includes a well defined policy for spirit drinks based on three product categories rooted in the current product definitions. TRIPS and WTO requirements are included to safeguard the protection of EU geographical indications on the world market.
The main points of discussion on the proposal are the definition of vodka and the applicable comitology procedures.
The idea of the Presidency is to reach a general approach on the proposal on the definition, description, presentation and labelling of spirit drinks.
There will be a public deliberation on this agenda point on Tuesday, after lunch.
EU wine sector reform
On 22 June 2006, the European Commission adopted the Communication "Towards a sustainable European wine market". The Commission calls for a root-and-branch reform of the Common Market Organisation (CMO) for wine. The plan aims to increase the competitiveness of EU wine producers, strengthen the reputation of EU wines, win back market share, balance supply and demand and simplify the rules, while preserving the best traditions of EU wine production and reinforcing the social and environmental fabric of rural areas. The Commission considers four options for reform, and comes out clearly in favour of a radical reform model specific to the wine sector. This would involve either a one-step or a two-step approach. The two-step approach would begin with measures to bring supply and demand back into balance before focusing on improving competitiveness, including the abolition of the system of planting rights.
Producers would be offered generous incentives to grub up uneconomic vineyards, outdated market support measures such as distillation would be abolished and the systems of labelling and wine-making practices would be updated and simplified. Money would be redirected towards Rural Development measures tailor-made for the wine sector and Member States would receive a national financial envelope to pay for measures decided at national level. Under the “one-step” variant, the system of planting rights restrictions would be either allowed to expire on 1 August 2010, or be abolished immediately, and the current grubbing-up scheme would also be abolished at the same time. Ministers will debate the issue based on a set of detailed questions from the Presidency.
The Communication, press releases and other documents related to the reform of the wine CMO are available on the internet at:
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/capreform/wine/index_en.htm
Discussions on the reform will continue at Ministerial level.
Organic production and labelling of organic products
On 21 December 2005, the European Commission adopted two proposals for new Regulations on organic production, which aim to improve clarity for both consumers and farmers (see IP/05/1679 and COM(2005) 671). The new rules will be simpler, and will allow a certain amount of flexibility to take account of regional differences in climate and conditions. Producers of organic food will be able to choose whether or not to use the EU organic logo. If they choose not to, their products must be labelled EU-organic. At least 95 percent of the final product will have to be organic to be labelled as such. Products containing GMOs will not be able to be labelled as organic, except those containing up to 0.9 percent of GMO content through accidental contamination. Imports of organic products would be allowed, as long as they comply with EU standards
The Council will hold a policy debate on the Commission proposals. No decision is expected at this stage.
AOB
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-CAP Simplification (Information of the Commission on the state of play)
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-Conference of Directors of EU Paying Agencies
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-State aid: 1) Community Guidelines
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2)In relation to Rural Development.
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Food safety and animal health
AOB
Avian influenza
The Commission will provide an update with developments on Avian Influenza in the EU and third countries.