Mrs Sabine Laruelle, Minister for SMEs, the Self-employed, Agriculture and Science Policy of Belgium, presented to EU Minister meeting in Brussels on Julty 12t at the 3026th Council on Agriculture and Fisheries, Belgian presidency work programme for the next six months. Ministers also exchanged views on the report of the high level group on milk as well as on a Commission report and a proposal for a Regulation on aid granted in the framework of the German alcohol monopoly.

The agricultural policy priorities of the Belgian Presidency will focus mainly on the future of the common agricultural policy (CAP) after 2013 and on the dairy sector.

Future of CAP and dairy sector

The future of CAP will be the main point at the agenda of the informal meeting of the agriculture ministers scheduled in la Hulpe on September 21st 2010 and will be discussed further on the December Council meeting. This will follow the conference on the results of the public consultation on future of CAP organised by the Commission on 19 and 20 July.

As regards the dairy sector, the presidency reminds that the work of the high level group (HLG) on milk will constitute the ground for a initial discussion at this Council meeting. The discussion on this issue will be deepened during the next Council meeting on September 27th with the aim to reach a consensus on specific policy points; at the December Council meeting, the Commission will present a package of legislative proposal on this issue.

The Belgian presidency intends also to open a debate on a review of Europe's agricultural product quality policy using a legislative initiative from the Commission on this issue at the end of 2010.

On the veterinary, plant health and food safety sectors the emphasis will be on the roadmap on transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE), financing animal health strategy and the framework for genetically modified organisms. The presidency stressed the importance of the agricultural aspect of the latter dossier.

Priorities on Fisheries

The priorities for fisheries policy will focus on the reform of the common fisheries policy (CFP), already in focus at the meeting of EU Ministers held early July, for which legislative proposals will be tabled for the first half of 2010. On this issue, a conference will be organised by the Commission on 16 November 2010 and the Belgian presidency intends to highlight improved cooperation between science and fisheries by setting up an international symposium on "Improved Science and Fisheries Partnership Agreements as Policy Drivers" on 9 and 10 November 2010. The symposium's findings will be put to ministers at the November Fisheries Council lunch.

Concerning, 2011 fishing opportunities, the total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas for 2011 will take up an important part of the autumn meetings. In addition, the technical measures, which formed part of the annual TAC and quota regulation prior to the Treaty of Lisbon, were moved to a transitional Regulation valid until 30 June 2011. As it has been decided to revise the technical measures as part of the CFP reform, the intention is to make as few substantive changes as possible and to cooperate with the European Parliament in the framework of the co-decision procedure so that this dossier is well advanced by the time it is handed over to the next Presidency.

The Belgian presidency will also continue the ongoing work on multiannual management plans. Finally, with regard to external policy, several regional fisheries organisations will hold their annual meeting during the Belgian presidency, such as the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT). A new negotiating mandate is needed for the part of that meeting dealing with bluefin tuna. This will be discussed at the October Council meeting.

Report of the high level group (HLG) on milk and German alcohol monopoly

The Council also held an exchange of views following the Commission's presentation of the recommendations drawn from the report of the high level group (HLG) on milk in order to work out possible perspectives for the future of the dairy sector given that quotas are due to end on 1 April 2015.

Ministers exchanged views on the basis of a Commission report and proposal for a regulation on an extension of the derogation for an aid granted by Germany in the framework of its alcohol monopoly.