At today’s meeting, the Council (Agriculture and Fisheries) had its first debate on the Commission’s proposal for the Single Common Market Organisation on agricultural products. The two main themes raised by the Danish Presidency being exceptional measures to respond to market crises and measures to secure a more well-functioning food supply chain.
“Today’s in-depth discussion strengthens my hope that we will be able to go through all the im-portant questions in the reform proposals during the Danish Presidency. My aim is to present a progress report that can be helpful to future negotiations during the Cypriote and the Irish Presidencies,” states Danish Minister Mette Gjerskov.
Furthermore the Council dealt with the new virus, the Schmallenberg virus, that has occurred among cattle and sheep in The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany and since today also the United Kingdom.
“I am content that the Council has already received information on the new virus, the Schmallen-berg virus, that has unfortunately been found in European livestock. We take this very seriously and will build on EU’s extensive experience in handling animal diseases,” says Mette Gjerskov.
On the agenda was also the Commission’s proposal for a Strategy for Animal welfare. The proposal is also to be presented on a joint conference on animal welfare organized by the Commission and the Presidency to take place from 29 February to 1 March in Brussels.
“Animal welfare is an important priority for the Danish Presidency. Recently the question of maximum transportation time for livestock has been raised when one million European citizens signed a petition on this topic. This clearly shows the importance of animal welfare; it makes an impression on me, and provides food for thought for all of us,” says the Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries.
The discussions on animal welfare and on the market instruments will now continue along with the discussions on the other reform-proposals in the Council working parties. And EU’s agricultural Ministers will continue the debate on the Common Agriculture Reform and on animal welfare during the Council meetings in March, April, May and June.
Links
The Commission’s proposal for a strategy for animal welfare
Photos from today’s meeting in the Council