Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015

Europaudvalget 2015-16
Rådsmøde 3397 - landbrug og fiskeri
Offentligt

Council of the

European Union

9961/15

(OR. en)

PRESSE 42

PR CO 34

OUTCOME OF THE COUNCIL MEETING

3397th Council meeting

Agriculture and Fisheries

Luxembourg, 16 June 2015

President

Jānis Dūklavs

Minister for Agriculture of Latvia

PRESS

Rue de la Loi 175 B – 1048 BRUSSELS Tel.: +32 (0)2 281 6319 Fax: +32 (0)2 281 8026

[email protected] http://www.consilium.europa.eu/press

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

CONTENTS

ITEMS DEBATED

AGRICULTURE ................................................................................................................................. 4

Organic farming ................................................................................................................................... 4

FISHERIES .......................................................................................................................................... 5

Fishing opportunities for 2016 ............................................................................................................. 5

ANY OTHER BUSINESS ................................................................................................................... 6

–

Animal health .......................................................................................................................................................... 6

Indication of the country of origin for certain food products .................................................................................. 6

Plant health .............................................................................................................................................................. 7

Visegrad group ........................................................................................................................................................ 7

Eligibility of 2007-2013 rural development programmes ....................................................................................... 7

Eligibility of 2007-2013 fisheries programme ........................................................................................................ 8

Russian embargo on fisheries products ................................................................................................................... 8

OTHER ITEMS APPROVED

FISHERIES

–

EU and Tanzania - negotiations for a fisheries partnership agreement ................................................................... 9



Where declarations, conclusions or resolutions have been formally adopted by the Council, this is indicated

in the heading for the item concerned and the text is placed between quotation marks.

 

Documents for which references are given in the text are available on the Council's Internet site

(http://www.consilium.europa.eu).

 

Acts adopted with statements for the Council minutes which may be released to the public are indicated by

an asterisk; these statements are available on the Council's Internet site or may be obtained from the Press

Office.

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

AGRICULTURE

–

International Organisation of Vine and Wine - EU position ................................................................................... 9

EU-financed rural development project grants - report of the European Court of Auditors.................................. 10

Errors in rural development spending - report of the European Court of Auditors ............................................... 11

EU support for forests - report of the European Court of Auditors ....................................................................... 12

Pesticides - maximum residue levels ..................................................................................................................... 13

Direct payments - implementation of financial discipline ..................................................................................... 14

ENVIRONMENT

–

Assessment of air quality....................................................................................................................................... 14

ENERGY

–

Energy labelling .................................................................................................................................................... 15

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

ITEMS DEBATED

AGRICULTURE

Organic farming

The Council reached agreement on a general approach on a proposal

for a regulation on organic

farming.

The proposal is aimed at revising the existing legislation on organic production and labelling of

organic products so as to remove obstacles to the development of organic production in the EU,

guarantee fair competition for farmers and operators and improve consumer confidence in organic

products.

A general approach is a political agreement on the position of the Council on a proposal for a

regulation. The agreement on organic production and labelling of organic products will make it

possible to launch negotiations between the Parliament and the Council with a view to reaching a

political agreement between the EU institutions. In the Parliament, the vote on the report presented

by the rapporteur is expected to take place in September or October 2015 in the Committee on

Agriculture and Rural Development.

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

FISHERIES

Fishing opportunities for 2016

Ministers were briefed on a

Commission communication on fishing opportunities

for 2016.

Several member states acknowledged the overall improvement in the state of fish resources

established by the communication; however some delegations stressed that improvements in other

stocks, such as bluefin tuna, could have been better recognised. They also recalled the importance

of setting up multiannual plans with a multispecies approach for fish stocks. Many delegations also

underlined the consequences of the new common fisheries policy (CFP) for fishing opportunities in

2016, and notably the landing obligation which will be extended next year to demersal fisheries in

the North Sea and in the Atlantic EU waters.

The impact of fishing fleets on stocks (fishing mortality) will be an important factor in determining

the fishing opportunities for 2016 on which the Council will have to reach agreement under the

Luxembourg presidency. Several countries noted that this means bringing the impact to levels at

which stocks can rebuild to the biomass levels necessary to produce maximum sustainable yield

(MSY), and that this also involves socio-economic factors.

The communication sets out the general approach to be taken by the Commission in formulating its

proposals for fishing opportunities for 2016. The document outlines the state of the stocks, gives a

limited overview of the economic performance of the EU fleet, and stresses the commitment to

long-term management plans and to management in accordance with scientific advice.

The main proposal for fishing opportunities for 2016 as regards stocks in the Atlantic, the North

Sea, the Antarctic and in other areas will be presented in October with a view to agreement in the

Council in December.

Furthermore, the Commission proposals for the Baltic and the Black Sea will be submitted to the

Council in August and November, respectively with a view to agreement in October and December.

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

–

Animal health

The Presidency briefed the ministers on the state of play of a

proposal for a regulation on animal

health.

Member states took note of a provisional agreement reached by the European Parliament and the

Council on the regulation at an informal trilogue meeting on 1 June. The regulation is expected to

be formally adopted before the end of 2015, after the final procedures including the legal-linguistic

revision of the text, are completed. It will become applicable five years after its entry into force.

The animal health law aims to ensure high standards of animal and public health in the EU. It will

provide a single overarching legal framework with harmonised principles across the sector, which is

currently regulated by a series of linked and interrelated regulations and directives.

–

Indication of the country of origin for certain food products

The Council took stock of Commission reports regarding the mandatory indication of the country of

origin for milk and dairy products and certain types of meat, unprocessed foods and single

ingredient products.

Most of the member states welcomed the publication of those reports by the Commission. They

pointed out the need for an in-depth analysis of the reports. Some member states supported the

principle of this indication in particular for milk and dairy products, while others considered that the

benefit of providing this additional information to the consumer should be balanced with the cost of

the measures for the agri-food sectors concerned.

Regulation 1169/2011 on food information to consumers provides the submission by the

Commission to the European Parliament and to the Council of two reports regarding the mandatory

indication of the country of origin for:

–

types of meat other than beef, swine, sheep, goat and poultry, milk and milk used as an

ingredient in dairy products

unprocessed foods, single ingredient products and ingredients that represent more than

50% of a food

–

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

–

Plant health

The Presidency briefed the Council on the

International Year of Plant Health 2020.

At the ninth session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM-9) of the FAO (Food and

Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) it was proposed to examine the possibility of

declaring an International Year of Plant Health (IYPH).

A study concluded that an IYPH would be possible at the earliest in the year 2020. Several member

states and the Commission agreed with the presidency that the IYPH would have a substantial

impact on public and political awareness of plant health. This would notably highlight the growing

threat of new plant pests emerging, spreading or becoming more damaging as a consequence of

climate change and increased movement of goods and people.

The final decision on this issue will be made by the United Nations.

–

Visegrad group

The Slovak delegation presented to the Council the outcome of the meeting of the agriculture

ministers of the Visegrad group, extended to include Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia, which took

place in Bratislava on 18 and 19 May 2015.

Some delegations supported the joint statement made during this meeting highlighting the need to

improve the position of farmers in the food supply chain. One member state also supported the

common position of the Visegrad group supporting the FOREST EUROPE process for a legally

binding agreement on forests in Europe.

–

Eligibility of 2007-2013 rural development programmes

As requested by the Romanian delegation, the Commission provided information on its decision not

to extend the eligibility of expenditure for 2007-2013 rural development programmes.

The eligibility of funds concerning the 2007-2013 rural development programmes is due to end on

31 December this year. The Romanian delegation supported by several member states stressed that

this deadline should be extended by six months to enable the full and effective use of funds, in

particular in those countries affected by difficult economic situations.

The Commission pointed out that it has not the legal empowerment to extend the above-mentioned

eligibility. However, in order to show some openness, the Commission presented a delegated act

allowing for flexibility between axis.

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

–

Eligibility of 2007-2013 fisheries programme

The Council was briefed by the Greek delegation on its request to extend the eligibility period of

expenditure for the Operational Programme Fisheries 2007-2013.

The difficult economic situation over the last few years affected the implementation of the current

programming period 2007-2013 under the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) and the co-financing of

some programmes. Therefore, some payments may not be made in time to be eligible under the EFF

eligibility period of expenditure which expires on 31 December 2015. To avoid the loss of

resources, the Greek delegation supported by several member states, urgently requested that the

eligibility period be extended for six months beyond the current expiry date.

As the Commission explained in relation to other funds (see the point above), it maintained the

view that it can not extend the period of eligibility of expenses for the EFF. The Commission

referred to the conclusions of February 2014 of the European Council to stress the fact that funds

available should be used under existing rules

–

Russian embargo on fisheries products

The ministers were briefed by the Estonian delegation on the situation in the fishing sector in light

of the recent Russian import restrictions.

As a result of an audit, the Russian Federation has established import restrictions on all fish

products originating from Estonia and Latvia as of 4 June 2015. This measure expands the pre-

existing 2014 restrictions on a list of EU fisheries products and in addition it affects imports of

canned fish from Estonia and Latvia.

Several member states, together with the Estonian delegation, called on the Commission to propose

compensatory measures. The Commission declared itself ready to examine all possible solutions

including an increase in storage aid, improved support in identifying alternative markets and an

increase in the inter-annual flexibility for transfers of fishing quotas for the most affected stocks.

Doc. EUCO

237/14

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

OTHER ITEMS APPROVED

FISHERIES

EU and Tanzania - negotiations for a fisheries partnership agreement

The Council adopted a decision to authorise the Commission to open negotiations on behalf of the

EU for the conclusion of a sustainable fisheries partnership agreement (FPA) and protocol with the

United Republic of Tanzania.

The new agreement between the EU and Tanzania should be in line with the Council conclusions of

19 March 2012 on the Commission communication of 13 July 2011 on the external dimension of

the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) as well as

Regulation No 1380/2013

on the CFP

AGRICULTURE

International Organisation of Vine and Wine - EU position

The Council adopted a decision establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the EU with

regard to certain resolutions to be voted on in the framework of the International Organisation for

Vine and Wine (OIV) on the occasion of the next general assembly of the organisation in Mainz

(Germany) on 10 July 2015 (9489/15 +

ADD 1).

In accordance with Article 218(9) TFEU concerning international agreements, this decision

establishes the EU position on certain draft resolutions of EU competence to be adopted by the OIV

general assembly (resolutions which may affect the Union acquis). Once adopted in Council, this

position is binding for the member states who are members of the OIV.

The OIV is an intergovernmental scientific and technical organisation made up of members,

observers and international organisations with a particular status active in the vines, wine, wine-

based drinks, table grapes, raisins and other vine products sectors. The OIV has 46 members of

which 21 are member states of the EU. However, the EU is currently not a member of the OIV.

OJ L 354/2013, p. 22.

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

EU-financed rural development project grants - report of the European Court of Auditors

The Council adopted the following conclusions on the

European Court of Auditors' special report

22/2014

entitled "Achieving economy: keeping the costs of EU-financed rural development project

grants under control" (9134/15):

"THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

(1)

WELCOMES Special Report No 22/2014 from the European Court of Auditors entitled:

"Achieving economy: keeping the costs of EU-financed rural development project grants

under control";

ACKNOWLEDGES that the giving of grants towards the costs of investments and other

projects undertaken by farmers, businesses, local authorities and other organisations in

rural areas is a key element in the EU's rural development policy;

ACCEPTS the Court's assessment that, in view of the large amounts at stake, the

Commission and the Member States should ensure that the costs of rural development

grants are kept under control and that better approaches to controlling these costs should be

explored in the context of the 2014-2020 programming period and beyond;

SUPPORTS the Court's recommendation that the principle of economy should be fully

applied by all managers of the EU budget, that the costs approved for rural development

grants are reasonable and that a risk-based approach is followed for all rural development

projects according to defined assessment criteria.

RECALLS that the Commission is working with the Member States to improve the

effectiveness of their control systems to ensure that they comply better with the relevant

legislation and NOTES in this respect the Commission guidance on tackling fraud as well

as the 'action plans' developed by the Member States with the aim of reducing errors in the

implementation of rural development measures, including better methods for assessing the

reasonableness of costs;

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

(6)

ENCOURAGES the Commission and the Member States to have an effective and efficient

control system in place up front, taking into account the cost-benefit, proportionality and

simplification principles, and WELCOMES the 'checklist' and the criteria developed by the

Court in this regard but RECALLS, however, that the aim should be to improve control

systems in qualitative terms rather than increasing the number of controls and that the

application of simplified cost options should take due account of the diverse nature of rural

development grants in the Member States."

Errors in rural development spending - report of the European Court of Auditors

The Council adopted the following conclusions on the

European Court of Auditors' special report

23/2014

entitled "Errors in rural development spending: what are the causes, and how are they

being addressed?" (9135/15):

"THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

(1)

WELCOMES Special Report No 23/2014 from the European Court of Auditors entitled:

"Errors in rural development spending: what are the causes, and how are they being

addressed?", which describes the main causes of the error rate for rural development

expenditure incurred in the 2011-2013 period and assesses the steps taken by the Member

States and the Commission to address the identified causes in future;

ACKNOWLEDGES that rural development policy objectives are attained through the

allocation of a substantial rural development budget in support of investment measures and

area-related aid and NOTES the Court's estimated average error rate for expenditure

incurred in the 2011-2013 period;

NOTES in particular the Court's assessment that, in view of the root causes of error for

rural development spending, preventive and corrective actions be taken, in particular with

regard to the application of public procurement rules, the identification of indicators of

suspected fraudulent actions, and in regard of the frequency and scope of administrative

controls and on-the-spot checks in the context of agri-environment payments;

(2)

(3)

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

(4)

RECALLS that rural development policy expenditure is generally more prone to errors

than other policy areas, such as environment, fisheries and health, but at the same time

WELCOMES the slight downward development in the error rate for EAFRD-expenditure

in the 2011-2013 period and SUPPORTS in this regard the joint efforts from the

Commission and the Member States to reduce the error rate further through the

implementation of action plans and other initiatives;

RECALLS the Council conclusions of 15 December 2014 on the error rate for agricultural

expenditure;1

RECALLS the Court’s recommendation that the Commission should complete its

corrective actions to date by continuing to focus on the root causes for rural development

spending;

WELCOMES the Commission's intention, in view of making proposals for the following

programming period, to prepare a strategic report of the Fund by 2017, summarising the

annual progress reports submitted by Member States (Article 53,

Regulation 1303/2013)."

(5)

(6)

(7)

EU support for forests - report of the European Court of Auditors

The Council adopted the following conclusions on the

European Court of Auditors' special report

24/2014

entitled "Is EU support for preventing and restoring damage to forests caused by fire and

natural disasters well managed?" (9136/15):

"THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

(1)

WELCOMES Special Report No 24/2014 from the European Court of Auditors entitled:

"Is EU support for preventing and restoring damage to forests caused by fire and natural

disasters well managed?"

ACKNOWLEDGES the socio-economic importance of forests, as forests and the forest-

based value chain contributes to rural development and provides millions of jobs, as well

as the environmental functions of forests in terms of climate change mitigation and the

protection of biodiversity, and UNDERLINES the importance of the inclusion of forest

protection in the EU's rural development policy;

(2)

Doc. 16798/14.

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

(3)

NOTES that, in the period 2007-2013, EAFRD support for restoring forest damaged by

natural disasters and fire, as well as for introducing preventive actions, successfully

contributed to the objectives of the rural development programmes, including fewer

occurrences of fire taking place;

AGREES with the Court's assessment, however, that efforts could be stepped up to

improve the management of the support for restoring forestry potential and for introducing

preventive actions in order to ensure that the intended objectives and results are achieved

in a cost-effective way and NOTES the Court's recommendations in this context;

RECALLS the Communication and Commission Staff Working Document of the

Commission on "A new EU forest strategy: for forests and the forest-based sector", which

covers economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainable forest management;

ENCOURAGES the Member States and the Commission to apply the lessons learned in

relation to the 2014-2020 programming period, especially as regards the scope of

preventive measures as well as improved guidance and monitoring."

(4)

(5)

(6)

Pesticides - maximum residue levels

The Council decided not to oppose the adoption of a Commission regulation amending annexes II

and III to

regulation 396/2005

as regards maximum residue levels for amidosulfuron, fenhexamid,

kresoxim-methyl, thiacloprid and trifloxystrobin in or on certain products (8623/15).

Regulation 396/2005 establishes the maximum quantities of pesticide residues or MRLs permitted

in products of animal or vegetable origin intended for human or animal consumption. These MRLs

include, on the one hand, levels which are specific to particular foodstuffs intended for human or

animal consumption and, on the other, a general limit which applies where no specific level has

been set. MRL applications are communicated to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

which issues a scientific opinion on each intended new MRL. Based on the EFSA's opinion, the

Commission proposes a regulation to establish a new MRL or to amend or remove an existing MRL

and to modify the annexes of regulation 396/2005 accordingly.

This Commission regulation is subject to the regulatory procedure with scrutiny. This means that

now that the Council has given its consent, the Commission may adopt the regulation, unless the

European Parliament objects.

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

Direct payments - implementation of financial discipline

The Council adopted by written procedure on 15 June 2015 a regulation fixing the adjustment rate

provided for in

Regulation No 1306/2013

for direct payments in respect of calendar year 2015 (PE-

CONS 27/15).

In order to support agriculture in case of major crises affecting the production or distribution, a

reserve for crises is established by applying, at the beginning of each year, a reduction to direct

payments through a financial discipline mechanism which is provided for by Regulation No

1306/2013 of 17 December 2013 on the financing, management and monitoring of the common

agricultural policy (CAP - Horizontal regulation)

. The amount of the reserve to be included in the

Commission 2016 Draft Budget amounts to EUR 441.6 million in current prices, covered via a

reduction to direct payments.

ENVIRONMENT

Assessment of air quality

The Council has decided not to oppose the adoption of a Commission directive (8460/15) on the

assessment of ambient air quality. This directive lays down the rules on reference methods, data

validation and location of sampling points, by amending several annexes to directives

2004/107/EC

and

2008/50/EC.

Unless the European Parliament opposes them, the Commission may adopt the proposed measures

in accordance with Article 5a(3)(d) of

Council Decision 1999/468/EC,

which sets out the

procedures for the exercise of the Commission's implementing powers.

OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 549.

9961/15

Rådsmøde nr. 3397 (landbrug og fiskeri) den 16. juni 2015 - Bilag 1335991:

16 June 2015

ENERGY

Energy labelling

The Council confirmed that it had no intention to object to the Commission regulation

supplementing

Directive 2010/30/EU

with regard to energy labelling of solid fuel boilers and

packages of a solid fuel boiler, supplementary heaters, temperature controls and solar devices

(8363/15).

The aim of this delegated act is to introduce a harmonised scheme for labelling products according

to their energy efficiency and energy consumption and providing standard product information to

consumers.

The Commission and the European Parliament will be informed of the Council's intention. This

implies that, unless the European Parliament objects to it, the delegated act will be published and

enter into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the

European Union.

9961/15