The CAP towards 2020 - Presidency conclusions
The Council has taken note of the Presidency conclusions supported by a very large number of member states on a Commission communication The CAP towards 2020: Meeting the food, natural resources and territorial challenges of the future
The Presidency conclusions on the communication on the future CAP towards 2020 followed an initial exchange of views in November 2010 and three policy debates taking place at the agriculture Councils in December 2010, January and February 2011. The policy debates were centred on the three main objectives to the future CAP identified in the Commission communication, namely:
· viable food production,
· sustainable management of natural resources and climate action, and
· balanced territorial development.
The Council discussed already during five successive Presidencies different aspects of the reform. The Presidency conclusions result from a detailed analysis by the Member States of the options outlined in the Commission communication. It launches the institutional debate on the CAP towards 2020.
On the basis of the outcome of this institutional debate, more concrete and elaborated options and measures will be examined. Their feasibility and effectiveness will be analysed in the framework of the debate on the budget and the impact assessment of the options proposed. The legal proposals will be presented in the second half of 2011 for new rules to come into effect in 2014.
Authorisation of three genetically modified varieties
Proposals for decisions authorizing the use of three genetically modified varieties in food, feed and for other uses, but excluding cultivation, have been presented to the Council for adoption.
No agreement in favour or against the authorisations was reached.
Following the submission of initial applications for authorisation of these genetically modified varieties the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was initially consulted, as provided for by regulation 1829/2003, and issued favourable scientific opinions. On this basis, the European Commission drew up proposals for authorising these varieties, which were presented to the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH). At its meetings on 24 September 2010 and 15 November 2010, the SCoFCAH was unable to achieve the qualified majority necessary to deliver an opinion for or against the authorisation measures proposed by the Commission. In the absence of an opinion it was up to the Council to act on the Commission proposals within a three month period.
Today, the Council noted that there was not qualified majority in favour or against the following three proposals:
· proposal for a decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB614 from Bayer.
· proposal for a decision authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified maize MON 89034 × MON 88017 from Monsanto, and
· proposal for a decision amending decision 2006/197 as regards the renewal of the authorisation to place on the market existing feed produced from genetically modified maize line 1507 from Pioneer and Dow.
The Council having concluded its proceedings on this issue, the Commission is now entitled to finalise the decision-making procedure on all the proposals
Situation on the dairy market
The Council took note of the Commission's quarterly report on the dairy market, presented by the Commissioner in charge of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dacian Ciolo.
Member states praised the recovery of the dairy sector highlighted by the report. Some delegations insisted on the importance of the "soft landing approach".
This report provides an overview of the conditions for the dairy market during the whole year 2010.
It notes that the dairy market continues its recovery observed in the last report presented to the agriculture Council in December 2010.
Fuelled by favourable weather conditions, dynamic demand and attractive milk prices, milk collection in the EU-27 increased by 1.23% in 2010. On an overall basis for the EU-27, the quota year is projected to end with an estimated 6% underuse of milk quotas. The increased milk production has been converted into value added dairy products (yoghourts, cheese and others) that experienced an increase in production in line with demand, while dairy commodities (butter, butteroil and skimmed milk powder (SMP)) registered lower production levels.
The annual average milk price paid to producers in 2010 was 15% higher than the average price paid in 2009. EU average prices for dairy products continue to be largely above intervention levels. While cheese prices remained rather stable over the last 3 months, butter prices increased by 8% and milk powder prices surged. The year 2010 had been particularly successful for EU dairy exports, especially for SMP, butter and cheese.
As a reaction to the crisis in the dairy sector, the Commission committed in May 2009 to report every three months on the situation in the dairy market.
Simplification of the CAP
The Dutch delegation briefed the Council about a note established in collaboration with Denmark on the simplification of the CAP beyond 2013.
The note proposes for six key principles to be reflected in the legislative proposals for the new
CAP:
· CAP should be simpler and cheaper for national authorities and imply reduced administrative costs for recipients;
· A risk based approach should apply for controls on administrations and recipients;
· Discretion and flexibility should be given to member states in programming, defining the detailed control, monitoring and evaluation of schemes;
· A greater proportionality to controls and penalties should apply;
· Full transparency and clarity of roles and responsibilities should be considered;
· A better use of technology should be encouraged.
This proposal has currently the support of 26 member states.
EU policy on animal welfare
Ministers were briefed by the Presidency on the results of the evaluation of the EU policy on animal welfare (EUPAW).
Some delegations insisted on the need for the EU to stay ambitious in the next action plan on animal welfare while some other noted the need to implement and control already existing measures and on the differences in standards on this issue applied into the EU and in third countries.
The first EU action plan on the protection and welfare of animals 2006-2010 was adopted in 2006.
It described strategic lines and future actions and grouped in a single text the different aspects of the EUPAW. An evaluation was scheduled in view of programming future action beyond 2010.
The evaluation of the EUPAW, with reference to farm animals, experimental animals and companion animals was initiated in November 2009 and covers four possible types of EU action: legislation, research, communication and international activities. Using a detailed analysis of the results of EUPAW compared to the initial objectives, the evaluation assesses the efficiency of this policy, and its coherence with other area of EU policy. If needed, recommendations for the design of future policy could examine different policy options.
Negotiations with Mercosur
At the request of the Dutch delegation, the Council was briefed on the state of play of EU trade negotiations with Mercosur.
An initial exchange of views on relaunching negotiations with Mercosur, took place at the Agriculture Council in May 2010. Since then, as three negotiating rounds already took place, the Netherlands, supported by several member states, requested to know about the current state of play
of these negotiations.
The Commission explained that member states will be informed of offers to be made to Mercosur. Member states will also be informed of the results of an ongoing impact assessment on these negotiations for agriculture.
The Commission decided on 4 May 2010 to relaunch the negotiations with Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, with Venezuela in the process of joining). These free trade agreement negotiations began in 1995 and were suspended without agreement in October 2004.
A successful EU-Mercosur agreement would need to address all aspects of the negotiations and in particular the core areas of industrial goods, services and agriculture.
Olive oil sector
The Spanish delegation briefed the ministers about the current difficult market situation of the olive oil sector.
Prices for olive oil are at their lowest level and there is still many stocks present on the market for the beginning of this marketing year. This leads to losses for producers in several member states. The Spanish request to the Commission for activating the optional aid for private storage of olive oil (article 31 of regulation 1234/2007) is supported by several other member states, in particular those producing olive oil.
For the Commission, all conditions requested for the activation of private storage are not met yet. This question will be discussed further in a next management committee.
Consequences of the current events in Japan
Ministers were briefed on the potential consequences of the current catastrophic events in Japan for the food and feed imported from this country.
Japan is currently authorised to export to the EU very few products of animal origin (i.e. fisheries products, bivalve molluscs, feed and feed derivatives). In addition, some vegetables are also exported from Japan to the EU. However, following the possible radioactive contamination of the products, controls will be reinforced by the Member States importing such products.
Cross-border exchange of information on traffic offences*
The Council adopted its first-reading position on a draft directive facilitating cross-border exchange of information on a number of traffic offences with a view to improving road safety and ensuring equal treatment of drivers irrespective of their country of residence. The position, together with the statement of the Council's reasons, will now be sent to the European Parliament for a second reading.
The aim of the draft legislation is to enable a member state in which an offence has been committed with a vehicle registered in another member state to identify the holder of the vehicle and investigate who is personally liable for the offence, so that sanctions can be enforced. To this end, member states will allow each other access to vehicle registration data for identification of the holder or owner of the vehicle with which the offence has been committed.
The traffic offences covered by the draft directive are: speeding, non-use of a seat belt, failing to stop at a red light, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failing to wear a safety helmet, use of a forbidden lane (such as emergency or public transport lanes), and illegally using a mobile phone while driving. The list may be extended in the future.
Due to their special legal position with regard to police cooperation under the Lisbon treaty, Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom will, for the time being, not participate in this measure based on the treaty provisions on police cooperation, but may consider joining in later.
For further details, see press release on the December 2010 transport Council meeting in
doc.
Transport performance on Trans-European rail axes - Council conclusions
The Council adopted the conclusions on the Court of Auditors Special Report No 8/2010 "Improving transport performance on Trans-European rail axes: Have EU rail infrastructure investments been effective?"
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