I am convinced that the leadership and the team of experts of the Ministry of Rural Development have achieved outstanding success during the period of the Hungarian Presidency in the first half of 2011, within the fields of agriculture, fisheries and the environment – writes Sándor Fazekas in his summary of the Presidency.
We kept to schedule and in several cases over-fulfilled the prescribed targets, gaining control over unexpected situations and acting quickly and efficiently if needed. I am proud of the results achieved by my colleagues and hereby thank everyone who has helped us both at home and within the EU during this important period.
It is an emphatic professional success that the conclusions regarding the Common Agricultural Policy exactly mirror the motto determined by the Hungarian Presidency: a strong Europe needs a strong Common Agricultural Policy.
The most important environmental achievements are in my opinion the agreement on the directive regarding electric and electronic waste, the Council conclusion on the conservation of water resources and sustainable water management, and the approval of the Danube Strategy.
It gives me special pleasure that in addition to the professional discussions undertaken during the informal meetings of the Environment Council in Gödöllő and of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Debrecen, we have been able to introduce our European friends to Hungary’s natural wealth, to the landmarks of some of our historical towns and cities and to the unmatched beauty of our world famous region, the Hortobágy. I hope that the participants look back fondly on amongst others the joint cycling in Budapest, getting to know the unique traditions of the Hortobágy, the archery presentation or perhaps the opportunity they had to try the bows themselves. The booklet on the Hungarian EU Presidency lists the successes achieved within the framework of the Agricultural and Fisheries Council and the Environmental Council.
Achievements within the field of Agriculture and Fisheries
Strong Common Agricultural Policy
It is an outstanding success of both the Ministry of Rural Development and the whole Hungarian Presidency, that on the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council the ministers voted to support the conclusions on one of the Presidency’s main priorities, the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2013, by a majority well in excess of the required qualified level. The ministers committed themselves to a strong CAP, meaning that the EU will continue to support agriculture, agricultural production and farmers in the future. This is also in harmony with the interests of Hungarian agriculture and rural development. The Member States have accepted the fact that in future, support should be distributed in a fairer and more targeted manner, because it is in this way that taxpayers' money can be put to use most efficiently.
More specific information on Food Labels
Significant headway was realised on the issue of product labelling. The Member States voted to support the agreement that had come about between the Hungarian Presidency and the European Parliament (EP). The goal of the new measures is to make it easier for consumers to decide which foods are healthier. From now on labels will be more legible and more foods will have to include information on their country of origin. The new Union directive on the labelling of food products was passed at the plenary meeting of the EP on July 6.
Milk Market Regulations to help Producers
The Council also achieved significant progress on the issue of the regulation of the milk market. The completion of the technical discussion was followed by the political debate of the milk package. It is boosts the bargaining power of milk producers, regulating and improving their contractual relationships.
Freshwater Fish Farming has a chance to develop
The Hungarian Presidency, in co-operation with Austria, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg and Slovakia, succeeded in achieving that the Common Fisheries Policy would in future lend more support for freshwater fish farming. The proposal was supported by 19 Member States and by the Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Ms Maria Damanaki.
Determined Measures to ensure Bee Health
The Ministers unanimously approved the Council conclusion regarding bee health and hygiene. In this they stipulate that as a result of the exceptional importance of bees in agriculture and food economy, everything must be done to protect the health of bees on both a national and Union level.
Quality Policy - Origin Protection
The Hungarian Presidency made significant progress within the field of quality policy, and within that also with regard to the issue of harmonised protection of origin, during the discussions on the draft Commission regulation on the quality system for agricultural products (geographical indications and the protection of traditional products by the Union). At the proposal of the Hungarian Presidency, the Commission legislation will now not only include the regulation of mountain products, but also that of local products and direct marketing. The majority of Member States accept the introduction of this new quality system on a non-compulsory basis.
Together for the Forests
Thanks to the efforts of the Hungarian Presidency, after years of unsuccessful discussions, a unanimous decision was successfully reached at the Conference of Ministers on European Forests held in Oslo on the commencement of talks on a legally binding European forest agreement. (The document was also signed by close to 20 other, non-EU countries.) Every Member State expressed its recognition to the Presidency for having successfully achieved a consensus.
Agreement with Switzerland and Liechtenstein
In May as the chairman of the Union’s Agriculture Council, Sándor Fazekas signed an agreement with Switzerland and Liechtenstein on the protection of geographical indications and the country of origin of agricultural and food products.
Extraordinary issues
Saving the Pork Meat Market
During the German Dioxin Contamination crisis, it was thanks to the determined and consistent pressure imposed by Sándor Fazekas that the Council voted to assist producers by freezing unmarketable pork meat stocks for three months. In this way, we succeeded in saving the European pork-meat market from collapse.
Compensation because of the E.coli epidemic
In view of the E.coli epidemic in Germany, Minister Sándor Fazekas immediately added the issue to the agenda of the informal meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture in Debrecen and convened an extraordinary meeting of the Council in Luxembourg, so that the Ministers might decide on assistance for producers. Based on the recommendations put forward by the Council, the European Commission raised the sum of the compensation package to 210 million Euros, with sweet peppers also included on the list of vegetables to receive compensation following the request of the Hungarian delegation.
In favour of FAO Reforms
An important success was also achieved on the final day of the Hungarian Presidency on June 30: at the 37th session of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Conference the agenda included the election of a new Director-General and the furthering of FAO reforms, as well as a vote on the organisation’s budget for 2012-2013. The organisation had been unable to come to an agreement for several years with regard to the budget, but the Hungarian delegation lead by Sándor Fazekas succeeded in brokering a unanimous decision, for which the Hungarian Presidency received great recognition.
Achievements within the field of Environmental Protection
Sustainable Water Management
At the June meeting of the Environment Council, the ministers agreed unanimously on conclusions regarding the European Union’s Water Strategy. The Hungarian Presidency succeeded in forging a consensus between the Member States with regard to the future of water resources and sustainable water management through its active participation. Commissioner for the Environment Janez Potocnik paid special thanks to Hungary for once again placing water policy at the centre of attention. The Commissioner expressed his appreciation regarding the thoroughness and varied subject-matter of the text of the council conclusions, elaborated under the guidance of the Hungarian Presidency.
The Danube also Connects Us
The Danube Region Strategy was one of the highest presidency priorities of the Hungarian government. The Member States accepted the strategy and the participating countries agreed on the management of eleven areas of action. Hungary will manage three areas of action within the international co-operation of the Danube Region Strategy: the chapter on sustainable energy (jointly with the Czech Republic), the area dealing with preserving water quality and on water management (in co-operation with Slovakia), and the handling of environmental risks (jointly with Romania.
The future of Electric and Electronic Waste
Member States in the Environmental Council signed a unanimous policy agreement stating that 65% of all electric and electronic waste must be collected and recycled from 2016. Commissioner for the Environment Janez Potocnik stressed that during the past two years of discussions there had seemed to be no chance of coming to an agreement. Representatives of the Member States assessed the result as being a great success, while diplomats in Brussels called it a great feat of negotiation. (In 2010 the EU collected and recycled 33 percent of the electronic waste it produced.)
Mercury Ban
The Environmental Council also accepted a conclusions on the review of the Union’s Mercury Strategy, issued in 2005. The essence of the strategy is that the production and sale of all products containing mercury should cease completely, and that the products already present should not make their way into the environment.
Endangered Species must not become extinct
The Ministers of the Environment accepted the European Biodiversity Strategy, the aim of which is that the EU should stop the gradual extinction of endangered animal and plant species by 2020. The Council conclusions on the preservation of biodiversity were eventually agreed to by every member state following long and dramatic discussions, on the basis of a compromise text proposed by the Hungarian Presidency.
Progress in talks on GMOs
The standpoints of the Member States converged significantly with regard to the proposed regulation on the prohibition and restriction of the cultivation of genetically modified organisms. We have achieved greater progress than expected through the elaboration of our written compromise proposals.
The fight against Air Pollution and Industrial Accidents
The Council succeeded in reaching a consensus and a rapid agreement with the European Parliament on the regulations regarding the pollutant emissions of non-road mobile machinery. We made significant progress in the discussion of the Seveso III directive on the prevention and aversion of serious industrial accidents involving dangerous materials.
In the name of the Union
The Hungarian Presidency has represented the European Union with success at several international meetings, such as the UN Forestry Conference and the 19th Session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. At the latter event, Sándor Fazekas addressed the Commission in the name of the Union and 27 Member States. State Secretary for Environmental Affairs Zoltán Illés represented the European Union and its Member States at the meeting of the world’s environment ministers, the Session of the Governing Council of the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP)
Europe's largest Aquatic Biosphere Reserve
As the ceremonial closing act of the informal meeting of the Environmental Council, Hungary signed a multilateral statement on the creation of a Mura-Drava-Dunube cross-border Biosphere Reserve. Europe's largest aquatic biosphere reserve will be the first in the world to be jointly brought about by five countries (Hungary, Austria, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia).
The half-year term’s most important figures
During the six-month presidency, the Ministry welcomed around 2500 guests at over 30 events. Out of the 43 council meetings involving all ministries held during the Hungarian Presidency, 9 (7 agricultural and 2 environmental) were organised and presided over by the Ministry of Rural Development. In addition to the official meetings, the informal meetings of the Environmental Council in Gödöllő and of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Debrecen were also of special importance, where as well as the discussion of the important issues on the agenda, Minister Sándor Fazekas also welcomed his colleagues as current President of the EU. In addition to these events, the Ministry of Rural Development successfully organised and presided over more than 300 workgroup sessions in Brussels. 12 sessions of the Codex Alimentarius were held during the Hungarian presidency. (The Codex Alimentarius is an international food standards organisation with the participation of the FAO, the WHO and the EU.)
(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)
