Agriculture and Fisheries Council: CAP health check and food aid to the most disadvantaged

As part of the “Health Check” on the Common Agricultural Policy, the Council is continuing its discussions with a view to arriving at an agreement between the 27 at the Council meeting in November. The Commission is also tabling its proposal on the modalities for the distribution of food aid, notably from intervention stocks, to Europe’s most disadvantaged citizens. Following the presentation of the Commission’s proposal at the Council meeting in July, the ministers are debating the orientation to be given to the draft regulation concerning the free distribution of fruit and vegetables in schools. A system of co-funding is envisaged, based around an annual budget estimated at €90 million. In addition to its nutritional interest in combating the increasing incidence of obesity among Europe’s youth, such distribution would make it possible to raise a young audience’s awareness of the EU's agricultural policy.

The Commission is also presenting its Communication on the prevention of the sale and use of wood and wood by-products derived from illegal logging, accompanied by a draft regulation against illegal wood imports.

In the area of fisheries, the ministers are exchanging views on the measures to be taken to restore cod stocks, which the French Presidency of the Council wishes to see adopted before the end of the year. This topic will be considered once again with a view to adoption at the Council meeting in November. In addition, the Council is likely to adopt conclusions on the implementation of an ecosystemic approach to fisheries management. This involves shifting the basis of fisheries management towards an understanding of the marine ecosystem as a whole rather than simply the species exploited by the fishing industry.

To conclude, on the margins of this formal meeting, Michel Barnier met his counterparts for an informal exchange of views on fisheries to be held in Brussels on 29 September at the Solvay Library from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This meeting covered the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and focused particularly on the modalities for the management of resources (and particularly on quota policy) and supervision of the fishing fleet.

Agriculture and Fisheries Council: Main results (Report)

Public events can be viewed through videostreaming at the following address: http:/www.consilium.europa.eu/videostreaming

Meeting of EU Fisheries Ministers

 

• Updated: 30.09.2008

• Back to the top