European Union: Presidency Work Programme on Agriculture

The Luxembourg Presidency gave a public presentation on its work programme in the agriculture and fisheries sectors for the next six months.

The agricultural policy priorities of the Presidency will include:

• Focusing on effective simplification of the reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and ensuring that the Council is fully involved in the process.
• Beginning negotiations with the European Parliament on organic farming in order to build a regulatory framework adapted to new challenges.
• Working on market developments, including the Russian agricultural import ban and the expiry of milk quotas and paying particular attention to the effects on farmers;

As regards food and veterinary issues, the Presidency intends to:

• Begin work on the revision of the authorisation procedure for genetically modified organisms in foodstuffs and animal feed.
• Work towards reaching an agreement at first reading with the Parliament on the legislative proposal on protective measures against pests of plants (plant health).
• Finalise a more integrated and horizontal approach to official controls to reach a compromise between member states with a view to launching negotiations with the Parliament on this issue.
• Seek to reach an agreement with the European Parliament on the legislative proposal on the zootechnical and genealogical conditions for trade in and imports from third countries of breeding animals and their germinal products and on the finalisation of the medicated feed dossier.
• Continue work on medicinal products for veterinary use with a particular focus on combating antimicrobial resistance.