Ref. Ares(2017)5195835 - 24/10/2017
Ref. Ares(2018)588503 - 31/01/2018
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Directorate-General for Trade
Directorate D - Sustainable Development; Economic Partnership Agreements - African, Caribbean
and Pacific; Agri-food
Agriculture, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Market Access, Biotechnology
Brussels, 24 October 2017
D.3/CB/ac (2017) 5879852
MEETING REPORT
CABINET MEETING (MCB) WITH COOPERATIVAS AGRO-ALIMENTARIAS DE ESPAÑA
(SPANISH AGRIFOOD ORGANISATION),
17/10/2017
Participants:
Gabriel Trenzado, Director of European Affairs and Trade, Cooperativas Agro-
alimentarias de España
[Art.4.1(b)]
,
[Art.4.1(b)]
, Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de
España
Miguel Ceballos Baron, Deputy Head of Cabinet Malmström
[Art.4.1(b)]
, DG TRADE
Summary:
Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España outlined the importance of trade for the
agrifood sector in Spain and expressed overall support for FTAs negotiations. FTAs have
a positive impact as Spanish agrifood exports are on the increase. As an example, they
mentioned that exports of kaki fruits to Canada have grown by 11% since the provisional
entry into force of CETA. A similar growth pattern is expected for citrus fruits.
In this context, they also shared current barriers/issues they are facing with some of our
FTAs negotiating partners. In particular, they stressed the following:
Support for the single entity concept applied to SPS and for reciprocity overall
With Mexico, they currently experience high costs for their exports of fruits and
vegetables due to pre-clearance systems and burdensome protocols
With Japan, they shared difficulties with citrus exports - despite an agreement
found on paper, trade has not yet started.
With Mercosur, they see opportunities in the current negotiations while at the
same time anticipate divisions in the Mercosur bloc and difficulties during the
implementation phase. They mention that they have a defensive interest for grape
must (moût de raisin).
As regards the US, they are worried about the current TDI investigation on ripe
olives.
Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË - Tel. +32 22991111
With Australia, they shared a current trade barrier linked to the definition of olive
oil (quality aspects).
With New Zealand, they are worried that NZ wines will be increasingly exported
to the EU market and stressed that wines should be treated as a sensible sector in
the negotiations.
As regards Brexit, they stressed that the UK is the third agrifood market for Spain
(especially meat) and would hope that transitional arrangements could be
foreseen to avoid huge brutal decrease in exports for Spain. According to them,
the re-establishment of the borders means 25% additional costs for business.
MCB took note of all these remarks and stressed that growth is taking place outside of
Europe, also for the agriculture sector. The EU has strong competitive advantages with
products of high quality that are well-known all over the world.
[Art.4.1(b)]
2