The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mrs Caroline Spelman)
I and my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Minister with responsibility for Agriculture and Food, represented the UK on agriculture matters at the Agricultural and Fisheries Council on Monday 14 November. The Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Minister with responsibility for natural environment and fisheries, my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Richard Benyon), represented the United Kingdom on the fisheries items. Richard Lochhead MSP, Michelle O’Neil MLA and Alun Davies AM were also in attendance.
The first item for discussion was the communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the external dimension of the common fisheries policy. The Commission emphasised the twin objectives of ensuring sustainable management of fisheries resources while maintaining a “level playing field” across member states and third countries in order to ensure a viable EU fishing fleet. There was general support for common principles such as the need to fish sustainably, the desire for EU vessels to only use what is surplus to local requirements, ensuring coherence of the CFP with EU development policy and the need for transparency from third countries about fishing activities in their waters.
On specific issues, a number of member states expressed concern about the effect on economic viability of increasing the vessel owners’ contributions towards paying the costs of access rights; while others, including the UK, could support an increase in owners’ contributions, or owners covering the full costs.
In order to ensure a “level playing field” a number of member states called for third-country producers to be liable to the same social and environmental obligations as EU producers. The UK, along with France, Germany, Belgium and Ireland, expressed support for trade measures being taken against those countries who were not fishing sustainably.
The Danish presidency will take this forward as part of the CFP reform package in 2012.
The main agricultural item on the agenda was further discussion of the Commission’s proposals for reform of direct payments under pillar 1 of the common agricultural policy. Member states were asked for views on the proposed structure of pillar 1, and on the Commission’s plans for convergence of payment rates within and between member states. There appeared to be a developing consensus that the overall structure of the Commission’s proposals was too complex and that greater national flexibility was required for member states to respond to specific needs within their own territory.
On the detail of the proposal, a number of items were raised by member states. On greening of direct payments, even those member states who did generally accept the principle questioned the bureaucratic burden it would place on farmers and national administrations. On support for young or small farmers, many member states called for the provisions to be voluntary for member states.
When considering the move to a single payment rate within individual member states (or regions), the UK and France were in a group of member states who accepted the end goal, but thought the Commission’s proposals moved too quickly, particularly in the first year. However, some member states remain opposed. On the issue of the convergence of payment rates between member states, Ministers were split between those who will lose and those who will gain.
There were five any other business items. The first was information from the Commission on implementation of the conventional cage ban as set down in the laying hens directive. The Commission announced that it would be writing to member states to seek confirmation of compliance with the ban, which comes into force on 1 January 2012, or to ascertain how compliance will be reached. This letter will be the first step towards infraction proceedings against non-compliant member states. The Commission noted progress at a meeting of officials on 28 October considering a workable, non-legally binding, agreement to tackle the issue of large-scale non-compliance with the conventional cage ban across the EU. For the UK, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State intervened to state that such an agreement which would need to include, as a minimum, a list of compliant and non-compliant producers from member states, action plans for compliance spanning no longer than six months (which would also prevent member states from placing new hens into conventional cages), clear marks to identify non-compliant eggs, and restriction of trade for these egg and egg products to the country of production. The majority of member states that have complied with the rules were against any form of compromise agreement. In conclusion, the Commission reiterated its commitment to start infringement proceedings from 1 January 2012 but considered progress on an informal agreement as the best and quickest way to ensure full compliance from member states.
The next AOB item was a report from France on the food for deprived persons scheme. France stated that it had agreed a joint declaration with Germany agreeing continuation of the food for deprived persons scheme until the end of 2013. The declaration also stated that neither country believed that the conditions were in place for a similar scheme to be supported from the EU budget beyond 2013. The presidency concluded that there was now a qualified majority in favour of the proposal, and would aim for formal legal agreement at the December Agriculture Council.
Hungary presented the next AOB item, a paper, supported by France, Lithuania, Austria and Romania, arguing for an extension to the sugar quota system beyond 2015. Six other member states supported this call, arguing that it would provide stability of production and to allow expansion to meet demand. The UK led the counter-argument against a continuation of quotas, supported by Slovenia, Ireland and Latvia.
The presidency presented a paper on the Ryn “Forestry for climate and biodiversity” conference, and noted forthcoming international negotiations on a legally binding agreement on forests in Europe.
The final AOB item was another presidency paper reporting on the 30th conference of the Directors of paying agencies of the EU; the key conclusion of the conference had been the need for further progress on simplification.