EU Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries meeting in Luxembourg between June 22nd and 23rd adopted conclusions on areas with natural handicaps, on the quality of agricultural products and on sustainable aquaculture. Council also reached political agreement on a proposed regulation on the welfare of animals at the time of slaughter or killing, and had a policy debate on the reform of the fisheries control policy.

The Council held an in-depth political debate on the proposed new control framework for the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), helping the Commission to better understand the different positions among the Member States on some of the more sensitive elements of the proposal, including the harmonisation of sanctions, the allocation of powers between the different actors involved, including the Commission and the Control Agency and the cost-effectiveness and administrative burden involved in adopting new on-board technologies. The Commission identified a number of points where it is happy to move in the direction of Member States' requests, including the need for a special regime for the small-scale fleet below 12 metres.

Main objectives of the proposal for Common Fisheries Policy control system

• Simplification of the current CFP control rules, which are currently scattered across many different regulations, some of them overlapping each other
• Reduction of the costs and of the administrative burden
• An effective application of CFP rules, in order to remedy the shortcomings identified by both the European Commission and the European Court of Auditors
• A control system which is global and integrated, from net to plate, including a comprehensive traceability system
• The introduction of a "culture of compliance" involving all stakeholders. Harmonized  deterrent sanctions and a "penalty point system" for infringements committed by holders of fishing authorizations and by masters and officers of vessels are proposed

Ministers also discussed the Commission's consultation paper on fishing opportunities for 2010. Despite some good news, such as Baltic cod, the state of EU fish stocks continues to be dire, and TACs continue to be set well above the level which scientists consider sustainable. The underlying drivers for this will have to be addressed in the context of the next Reform of the CFP. In the meantime, the Commission will continue to follow the rules it has developed and refined over recent years. Measures to reduce discards remain high on the Commission's agenda.

The Commission also presented a summary of its work over the last three years to simplify the CFP, including the repealing of a number of obsolete legal acts, and the recasting of the Commission Regulation on the Common Market Organisation in fisheries and aquaculture products.

Areas with Natural Handicaps

The Council adopted conclusions on a Communication from the Commission: "Towards a better targeting of the aid to farmers in areas with natural handicaps". The main objective of the Commission Communication is to invite Member States to carry out simulations on Less Favoured Areas (LFAs) delimitation based on the methodology set out in the Communication and to provide the Commission services with maps reflecting the results of those simulations.

The conclusions serve the purpose of recording Member States' agreement to carry out the simulations requested by the Commission, without prejudice to their final position on the future LFA Scheme.

Future of the CAP

The Council took note of Presidency's conclusions, supported by a number of delegations, on the future of the CAP and especially direct payments, intending to send a clear political message on direct payments, but without in any way prejudging their future shape or the future Financia Perspectives.

The conclusions concentrate in particular on:

• The future discussion on the function and role to be played by any future direct payments scheme.
• The wish to improve the direct payments scheme so that, to meet the challenges for agriculture after 2013, it is fair and legitimate, effective, easy to implement.
• Stressing that further discussions and in-depth analysis will be necessary.

Council reached political agreement on a regulation improving welfare of animals at slaughter. The regulation aims at revising the legislation in force - Council Directive 93/119/EC on the protection of animals at the time of killing or slaughter in the light of new technical and scientific elements. It also introduces a new approach - mirroring the one followed in food safety field - increasing operator’s responsibilities concerning welfare.