The EU agriculture Ministers have today decided to work for better animal welfare in the future and have endorsed both a proposal for combating antimicrobial resistance and a progress report on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.
Informal Council in Horsens: The discussion at the agricultural Minister’s green think tank showed consensus that there really is no choice between productivity and sustainability.
More possibilities for decentralized decisions was a theme at today’s Council meeting where EU Fisheries Ministers discussed the Commission’s proposals on transferable fishing concessions and regionalization of fisheries management.
The EU agricultural Ministers want a Common Agricultural Policy that is easier to administer and that more decisions should be left to the Member States.
The main issue for today’s debate in the Council (Agriculture and Fisheries) was on how to reduce red tape in the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. Innovation was also on the agenda.
The EU fisheries Ministers have just agreed on common guidelines for EU fisheries agreements with third countries. At the Council meeting in Brussels today it was also decided to strengthen the enforcement of the controversial finning of sharks. Furthermore the Ministers had a public debate on the Commission’s proposal to ban discard.
On 14 -15 March the Danish EU Presidency hosts an international conference in Copenhagen on joint combat against antimicrobial resistance. The Danish Presidency is aiming for the Council to conclude on common EU measures for combating antimicrobial resistance.
Every year more than 25,000 European citizens die from infections caused by bacteria that have developed resistance towards antimicrobials. Treatments that used to work efficiently have lost their effect. One of the big sinners is overuse of antimicrobials for human and for veterinary purposes.
The conference on animal welfare to be hosted by the Commission and the Danish Presidency will focus on enforcement of the rules, new research and the importance of consumer behaviour. The conference will take place in Brussels 29 February – 1 March.
The EU and Greenland has signed a new fisheries protocol in Copenhagen. The new protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement gives EU fishing rights in Greenland waters for the period 2013-2015 in return for financial compensation to Greenland.
Conference in Copenhagen focuses on food safety and modernisation of meat inspection
24 presentations by 15 ministers in 16 EP Committees over 3 days
Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Minister for Economics and the Interior Margrethe Vestager, Minister for Foreign Affairs Villy Søvndal and Minister for European Affairs Nicolai Wammen will present the Presidency programme.
Today Denmark’s Minister for European Affairs, Nicolai Wammen, presented the priorities of the upcoming Danish EU Presidency at a press conference in Brussels.