Informal meeting of the agriculture ministers
© Pascal Xicluna / Min.Agri.Fr
- On: 23.09.2008
- In: Annecy, Imperial Palace
During their informal meeting in Annecy, the 27 agriculture ministers of the European Union met on Tuesday 23 September for a plenary session in the presence of the current president of the Agriculture Council, Michel Barnier, the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mariann Fischer Boel, and the chairman of the European Parliament's agriculture committee, Neil Parrish. The aim of these discussions was, on the occasion of the French Presidency, to launch the debate on the future common agricultural policy after 2013.
While there are discussions of the 'health check' currently underway with a view to modifying the current provisions by 2013, this informal meeting saw the ministers focusing on the post-2013 period, not so as to put the two processes in opposition, but in perspective.
On the basis of the document prepared by the French Presidency and entitled 'How best to prepare the CAP of the future?', the ministers were able to agree on the main aims and challenges of the future common agriculture policy, namely:
- to ensure the food security of the European Union, including the health aspect;
- to contribute to the global food balance;
- to preserve the balance of rural areas to maintain territorial cohesion;
- to develop an agriculture that reconciles economic performance with environmental efficiency.
A consensus was also found on the need to place more emphasis on innovation.
For Michel Barnier, the French Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, discussions on the content must be launched now before the debate on the budget starts in 2009. The last three days had, as he had wished, seen public debate of agricultural issues. With regard to the choice of the future CAP as the subject, the debate may be early, but it was not premature, he said at the press conference. Mariann Fischer Boel also approved of the choice of subject, stating that the time had come to start these discussions on the future of the CAP. The European Commission should submit proposals on the subject as of next year.
The press conference also allowed Petr Gandalovic, the Czech agriculture minister, to address the European press in advance of his country taking over the presidency of the Council on 1 January 2009. He was delighted that the discussions on the future CAP had been launched and hoped that the French Presidency would resolve the thorny issue of the health check by the end of the year, he said, before inviting his counterparts and the journalists to the agriculture ministers'next informal meeting in Brno (Czech Republic).
Informal meeting of the agriculture ministers (annoucement)
Video report of the Informal meeting of the EU agriculture ministers
in Annecy on 21-23 September 2008
© Brice Amouroux - Cinemathèque - Min.Agri.fr
- Sources: French Ministry for Agriculture and Fisheries
- Updated: 28.10.2008
