MEMO/08/309

Brussels, 16 May 2008

Preparation Agriculture/Fisheries Council of May 2008

The Agriculture & Fisheries Council will meet in Brussels on Monday 19 May (starting at 11 a.m.), under the Presidency of Mr Iztok Jarc, Slovenian Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Food. Commissioners Mariann Fischer Boel and Androulla Vassiliou will represent the Commission at the meeting.

Agriculture points will be treated in the morning and food safety issues in the afternoon.

Over lunch, Ministers will have a discussion on "Contribution of research in helping EU agriculture adapt to climate change". Mr Janez Potočnic, Commissioner for Science and Research, will also participate in this discussion.

The points on the agenda are:

Agriculture

Any Other Business

• WTO – DDA Negotiations: Mrs Mariann Fischer Boel will give and update of the situation.
• The small farm scale - still an important role to play in the future European agriculture (request from the Romanian delegation)
• Agricultural market situation: Evolution of agricultural and food prices
• Situation of the milk market (Lithuanian request)
• Marketing standards for fruit and vegetables
• Draft general Block Exemption Regulation (Demand of the Czech delegation)

Food Safety

Placing of plant protection products on the market – "Pesticides Regulation"

The Proposal for a Regulation on the placing on the market of plant protection products will replace Directive 91/414/EEC. This covers the EU approval of active substances and the authorisation by Member States of plant protection products containing the approved substances. The proposal modernises the authorization system considering scientific evidence and introduces a system of zonal authorisation (3 zones), mutual recognition of authorisations, more clear approval criteria responding to the need to eliminate dangerous substances proven to affect public health from the market, comparative assessment leading to substitution by safer alternatives and new rules on data protection to improve competition and availability of products to farmers.

Following the first reading at the European Parliament under the co-decision procedure, the Council is expected to reach a political agreement on this Regulation with a view to adopt a common position.

Any Other Business

• Chemical decontamination of fresh poultry meat (Demand of the French delegation)

Fisheries

Any Other Business

• Somalia - piracy (requested by