Tamm: Discussions on the future of the common agricultural policy of the European Union a priority for the presidency trio

Keeping the discussions on the future of the common agricultural policy on the agenda is essential for all the presidency trio countries, said Tarmo Tamm, Minister of Rural Affairs, in the meeting of the ministers of agriculture of the presidency trio today in Tallinn.

Tarmo Tamm, Minister of Rural Affairs, Andrä Rupprechter, Austrian Federal Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, and Hristo Bozukov, Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture and Food, discussed the joint 18-month programme of the presidency of the Council of the European Union today.

“We aspire to be good negotiators, continue the work started by Malta, the previous presidency holder, and improve it inasmuch as possible,” said Tamm. “The discussions on the future of the common agricultural policy of the European Union that are due to begin during Estonia’s presidency will continue at the initiative of the future presidency holders, and the importance thereof was thus emphasised by all the countries.”

The programme includes discussions concerning the future and simplification of the common agricultural policy, handling the issue of antimicrobial resistance as an essential topic, as well as conducting draft legislation proceedings for veterinary medicinal products and medicated feed. Furthermore, all three countries consider it important to continue improving the position of agricultural producers in the supply chain.

In the second half of 2017, Estonia will hold the presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first time. The three subsequent holders of the presidency will draw up an 18-month joint programme in order to ensure the substantive consistency of the work of the Council of the European Union. The programme will determine the fields to which more attention will be paid on the European level. Estonia belongs to a joint presidency trio with Bulgaria and Austria.