The Commission gave an overview of the different sectors, including the milk, beef, pig
meat, F&V, wine, sugar and cereals market situations.
The FR delegation mentioned the impact the Mercosur agreement could have on some
sectors (beef, sugar etc) and the need of the so-called "single pocket approach" during the
Mercosur negotiations, without putting any figures on the table already.
FR, supported by HU, AT, and IE requested an AOB point for the AGRIFISH meeting of
next week and will transmit a paper in the following days.
SK highlighted the differences in butter prices between MS and referred to the need of a
common legislation against UTP.
PL mentioned the adverse impact of EU intervention stocks on the skimmed milk powder
market and mentioned the need of extra aid for private SMP; also referred to the African
swine fever for piglet markets where the situation is still fragile; mentioned, structural
overproduction of grains on cereals market and need of import duties to protect these; called
to closely follow development of sugar market following end of quota.
FI referred to milk price in FI being still exceptionally low; mentionned adverse impact of
EU intervention stocks on skimmed milk powder market;
LT referred to cereals markets.
LV mentioned impact of bad weather conditions; regarding dairy market, refered to
difference between price of butter and skimmed milk produce; awaits FR paper before taking
their position on Mercosur.
The PRES concluded that in preparation of the next Council meeting of 9 Oct., the SCA took
note of the update of the Commission and of the FR delegation's wish to raise an AOB item
during the next AGRIFISH Council and the MS supporting this suggestion.
Contact:
, DG AGRI, Unit G.3 Tel.:
b) Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development:
Implications for the EU agricultural policy
– Presentation of the Presidency paper with the questions for Council debate
The Commission welcomed this intuitive and gave it its full support, stressing joint
action is needed in this context and highlighting the relevance of this topic in the context
of the CAP modernisation;
Two delegations commented:
NL: requested more info to be provided on Q2 in order to allow for an adequate
discussion at the Ministerial meeting of 09/10. PRES replied it does not want to put a
framework for MS to answer those questions.
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HU: inquired about the following steps after the Ministerial meeting; PRES specified it
will issue presidential conclusions orally.
PRES concluded that the SCA took note of the PRES background paper and questions
contained; SCA agreed that the Council of 9 Oct will have an exchange of views on the
basis of these two questions; SCA took note of the delegations' comments and of the
Commission reaction.
Contact:
, DG AGRI, Unit A.1 Tel.:
5.
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on
the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and
amending Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002, Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013,
(EU) 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, EU No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1305/2013,
(EU) No 1306/2013, (EU) No 1307/2013, (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) No
1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014,(EU) No 283/2014, (EU) No
652/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Decision No
541/2014/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (Omnibus
proposal) (First reading)
Debriefing of the last trilogue
The PRES debriefed the delegations on the third trilogue on the agricultural provisions of
the Omnibus proposal which took place on 27 September 2017. They mentioned the
considerable progress made on nearly all outstanding issues with only two key political
issues left to be resolved at the fourth trilogue on 12 October 2017 although much work
remains to be done at the technical level.
The main two outstanding issues are the following:
(1) risk management: in general the EP welcomes the CS proposal, although there is no
agreement yet on the lowering of the triggering threshold to 20%, in terms of tool this
should concern (Council preferring the general income stabilisation tool, and the EP
preferring the general insurance scheme)
(2) on greening the PRES stated some leeway is needed in order to reach an agreement;
in particular amendments 85, 86, 89, and 90 are important for the EP (list of plant
varieties eligible on EFAs and weighting factors); on permanent grassland (PG), a large
number of Member States can't support the mandatory nature of ploughing up. PRES
noted that this could be supported if it remains voluntary; in addition a majority of MS
did not support the Commission's empowered competences to decide on the relevant
criteria; WP 10599/2017 proposed some changes on this regard and the three institutions
have agreed to continue working at technical level on the basis of a Commission
compromise text.
On matters relating to the Common Market Organisation (CMO) Regulation for which
the Commission did not have a clear mandate yet, the EP and the Council have
essentially reached an agreement on compromise texts amongst them and invited the
Commission to accept that agreement in the final trilogue. A new text was distributed by
the PRES (WK 10615/2017) containing revised drafting proposals for Article 152 and
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the related recital as well as consequential changes to Articles 149,154, 161 and 209 of
the Regulation (EU) 1308/2013.
An exchange of view took place on the key outstanding issues in order to identify the
areas where the Presidency might be able to show some flexibility with a view to
securing an agreement on an overall compromise package, the PRES thereby asking the
SCA to be able to agree '
ad referendum' on some smaller changes during the fourth
trilogue.
In general most delegations expressed their support for the new proposal on permanent
grassland or stated the new text was going in the right direction. However the positions
of the delegations on the risk management issues were more divergent, with some
delegations being more flexible than others. A number of delegations (UK, CZ, AT) also
emitted scrutiny reservations.
Conclusion
SCA took note of the outcome of the third trilogue as reflected in document 12625/2017
and the four column tables annexed to documents 11247/3/17 REV 3, 11274/3/17 REV
3, 11290/3/17 REV 3 and 11291/3/17 REV 3. PRES concluded that an exchange of
views took place regarding the outstanding issues and that a number of issues have been
identified on which the Council accepts to be more flexible, in order to come to a
compromise agreement regarding the whole package; PRES requested the delegations
having questions to contact the PRES by 4 Oct (eob) and will inform the SCA during its
next meeting of Oct 16 about the outcome of the fourth trilogue where it will ask for an
approval of the general compromise package.
Contact:
, DG AGRI, Unit I.1 Tel.:
6.
European Court of Auditors' Special Report No 7/2017: "The certification
bodies' new role on CAP expenditure: a positive step towards a single audit
model but with significant weaknesses to be addressed"
– Exchange of views
Pending the adoption by AGRIFIN of Council conclusions on the Court's Special Report,
the French delegation requested to discuss this Special Report in the light of the work of
the Omnibus.
The Presidency first reminded that delegations should pass their comments on to
AGRIFIN's colleagues, rather than in SCA – unless the discussion is relevant from the
legislative viewpoint. [Croatia & Sweden already made textual proposals on the
Council's text in AGRIFIN].
The French delegation is of the view that certain elements of the Court's Special Report
should be better considered in the Regulation.
The French delegation supports the single audit approach, but expressed concern about
the
operational consequences of the increase of work of the Certification Bodies (in
terms of
costs).
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The Commission made the following points:
The Commission welcomes the Court's assessment that the CBs' new role is a
positive step towards a single audit model.
The Commission guidelines have already been amended, in close collaboration with
Member States – these new guidelines address the Court's recommendations, and will
apply from 2019 (some MS will voluntarily apply as early as from financial year
2018).
Greater assurance can already be taken from the CBs' work in 2016 (=second
exercise). For those cases where the CBs' work is considered reliable (62% of IACS
EAGF expenditure in financial year 2016), the Commission will audit at CB level
only.
Contact:
, DG AGRI, Unit H.1 Tel.:
7.
Organisation of future work
The next
AGRIFISH Council meeting will take place on 9 Oct in Luxembourg. The
meeting will include a summary of the markets situation, AOB Mercosur, as well as a
discussion on the Sustainable Development Goals and a number of AOBs.
DE delegation announced it would submit a request for a AOB point on a multi-
stakeholder conference of the Amsterdam Group on deforestation-free supply chains.
Finally, depending on the outcome of the next trilogue, a SCA has also been scheduled
for 16 Oct (pm) to approve the final text of the omnibus file.
Reporting:
, DG AGRI, Unit I.5 Tel.:
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