Raad zoekt politieke overeenkomst over visvangstmogelijkheden 2014 en keurt landbouwhervormingen en overgangsregelingen officieel goed (en)

During the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on December 16-17 the EU Ministers will aim to reach the political agreement on fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in EU waters and for EU vessels in certain non-EU waters for 2014.

This political agreement is the main decision on fishing opportunities by number of stocks covered in it. In view of the scientific advice and in accordance with international agreements reached in annual meetings European Commission presented the proposal in the end of October. European Commission has taken into account the requests of Member States to return to one single document as opposed to the approach taken in 2012 and 2013.

In the Council the Lithuanian Presidency will seek a political agreement on the fishing opportunities in the Black Sea for 2014. Two Member states, namely Bulgaria and Romania, are concerned by the proposal which fixes the fishing opportunities for two fish stocks - turbot and sprat.

“We aim to set the fishing opportunities along the principles established by the new Common Fisheries Policy, at the levels that are biologically, economically and socially sustainable” - noted Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture prof. Vigilijus Jukna.

Probably the most important task of the Lithuanian Presidency during its term was to reach an agreement on Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and to finalize the work related to the approval and the timely entry of the CAP proposals package into force. Thus, the last Council under Lithuanian Presidency will mark the official approval of the CAP reform package and transitional rules for 2014. The new CAP aims at helping farmers to adapt to changing market conditions, ensuring food security, environment protection and sustainable growth of rural economy.

The other important issues to be presented at the Council are as follows: proposal by the European Commission on information provision and promotion measures for agricultural products on the internal market and in third countries, the progress regarding the informal trilogue negotiations on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), the report on results achieved on Animal health, Plant health and control package, information regarding the market access to Russia for plant products, etc.