The Agricultural Council carried on a debate about the committee’s report regarding the future of the joint agrarian policy, which was held in Brussels on the 21 February 2011.

The Ministers shared their experiences about the use of guidelines concerning the conditions of keeping egg-producing hens and listened to the polish proposal on easing the prohibition of using processed animal protein for animal feed.

The Agricultural Council’s session’s most important topic was to debate the reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy. According to the committee’s report, the debate was held the third time about this subject. The Hungarian Presidency is striving to achieve a concluding statement about this issue that should be approved by the body of agricultural secretaries after the March session. Based on the council’s opinion the committee should work out the proposal for a Common Agricultural Policy reform. The previous two debates took place in December and January. Based on the Hungarian Presidency’s proposal the issue of rural development was the subject of the debate. According to the committee’s November report this would be the third main goal of the Common Agricultural Policy’s (KAP-Hung.) reform.

According to the Hungarian Presidency, the Common Agricultural Policy must promote the economical development of the rural areas in a creative, maintainable way in order to prevent social exclusion. Within the framework of rural development, it is important to create a new generation of producers. That is the Common Agricultural Policy should provide help for young people so that they can take charge of the economy and they can launch production. “Young farmers should be put in a good position, ” said Mr. Sándor Fazekas, Minister of Rural Development at a press conference held after the council’s session.

According to the Hungarian Presidency, European regional development should concentrate on preserving the different farming structures with a lot of diversity and it should be maintained by improving the working conditions of small farms.

Updated Keeping of Egg-producing Hens is on the Daily Agenda

The issue of the welfare and raising conditions of laying hens is on the daily agenda, since a new guideline will be soon implemented. According to this, hens can only be kept in so-called enriched cages. The council’s present guidelines were approved 13 years ago and the new guidelines will be implemented on 1 January 2012. Thus from the beginning of next year it is forbidden to sell eggs in the EU that did not originate from these updated circumstances. The committee was asking for fresh data from the member states in November 2010 in order to establish the status of preparations for the implementation of next year’s new guidelines. However, the data that were sent in are incomplete. The committee is urging the member states to provide the necessary data in order to implement the new guidelines. Otherwise, it is impossible to prevent the loss of consumer’s trust.

Commissioner John Dalli stressed during the committee’s session that further discrediting is out of question and only updated cages can be used from January 2012. This is how Mr. Fazekas summed up Mr. Dalli’s statement at the press conference held after the meeting.

Mr. Fazekas noted that several member states have indicated, that some businesses cannot complete the necessary improvement by the deadline. In part, it is due to the economical crises. There is no appropriate data about the number of farmers who do not have the appropriate hen cages, since the supply of data is incomplete. Overall, the member states are committed to the implementation of improved conditions regarding animal husbandry. The Committee will follow up on the improvements said the Hungarian Secretary.

The Hungarian Presidency is ready to make concessions, which are acceptable for all member states. In the EU, husbandry has been improved at the cost of substantial investments, however we cannot forget about those farmers, who do not have enough financial possibilities for improvement. According to the presidency, the improvements in the egg production conditions should affect the whole European Community. According to some estimates on 1 January 2012 roughly 30% of the European hen stock will be still kept in traditional cages. The presidency is concerned about the present unresolved situation that can lead to a shortage of eggs, increasing egg prices and inequalities in the market. The European Parliament is definitely not in favour of postponing the deadline but agrees that solutions have to be found to train the unprepared farmers.

Prohibition of Animal Protein Feed is to be Eased

Poland recommended easing the prohibition of animal protein feed. The prohibition was implemented due to mad cow disease, otherwise known as BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy). According to Warsaw meat and bone powder could be fed to non-ruminants, that is to pigs and fowl without any danger. This could increase the EU’s competitiveness concerning husbandry against the third countries. It would decrease the EU’s soy imports and it could benefit for environmental protection because it would decrease the problems of getting rid of waste materials coming from the slaughterhouses. Poland was reasoning that besides ruminants other animals did not have BSE and in the latter years BSE has significantly decreased even in ruminants due to strict regulations.

The Polish request “was supported by most member states” said Mr. Fazekas. The committee is planning a debate about the issue this summer and they will review the regulations based on verified scientific data. A decision can be expected this Autumn, however the European Parliament’s consent is also necessary concluded Mr. Fazekas.

(Ministry of Rural Development, Press Office)