NEWS
Better information on agricultural products for consumers
04/03/2010
End of February, the Committee on Agriculture (AGRI) approved Scottà report of establishing a compulsory labeling system indicating a product's place of production. EFBA welcomes this system that will better inform consumers about the quality of the products that they are purchasing and strengthen the competitiveness of the agricultural sector. The European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture also called for maintaining the protected geographical indications (PGIs) and protected designations of origin (PDOs) as they exist at present. Further information will be available in the course of March when the Scottà text will be presented to all MEPs with a view to being adopted.
Agriculture and Rural Development can play an important role in EU2020 strategy for growth
04/03/2010
Yesterday, the Commission published its EU2020 strategy for growth's proposals (‘A European Strategy for smart, sustainable & inclusive growth') based on a more efficient use of resources. Agriculture, Rural Development, cohesion & maritime policies will actively participate in the achievement of EU strategy with regards to biodiversity and climate change targets. Barroso insisted on the need to "invest in structural change é structural growth... in smart, sustainable & inclusive growth". DG AGRI officials added that "even though agriculture is not mentioned so clearly, it is evident that agricultural policy is central to these issues" giving a few examples such as precision farming that embraces new technologies, the production of biogas... DG AGRI officials also underlined that the policy document on the future CAP will "mirror the objectives outlines in the EU2020 strategy". COPA-COGECA, the EU farm lobby group, underscored the "vital contribution that the EU agriculture sector makes to building Europe & to maintaining growth & employment in rural areas".
Build a better future together
26/02/2010
The communication campaign in the Parliament Magazine continues. The last issue of February 22, is about the new European Commission. Together, EFBA and IFTF wanted to congratulate the new Commissioners on their recent election at the Commission. This issue was a great opportunity to introduce our organizations and to work together on several issues such as protection of animals and protection of nature... More information is available in the full advertising in the below PDF document.
Voluntary animal welfare labelling system should see the light
24/02/2010
Following a meeting between EU Farm Ministers, it seems that the majority of Member States would prefer the creation of an animal welfare labeling system that is voluntary and flexible (see news 04/11/2009). It aims to improve the information available to consumers so that farmers get a fait return for the special requirements inherent in the European model of agriculture. However, more work is needed on the definition of objective criteria on animal welfare indicators. Ministers also reiterated that the level of animal welfare has to be assessed in a transparent and scientifically recognized way across the board. EFBA welcomes such system that should be more understandable and easy to read for consumers. The EFBA WelFur project, a welfare-quality-like project on fur-farmed animals, is a big step in the right direction to guarantee the welfare-assessment protocols for the mink, the fox and the finnraccoon. The implementation of these protocols at farm level is within the scope of WelFur.
Policy Commitments of the new European Commission
24/02/2010
Attached to this news, you will find a document that summarizes the policy commitments of the 2010-2014 European Commission. It outlines the main policy commitments made by the new commissioners during their hearings before Parliament in early 2010. By this way, you will be able to follow and evaluate their progress in matching their words with deeds throughout the term of the Barroso II Commission.
Creation of two new directorates-general
22/02/2010
On 17th February, the Commission announced the creation of two new directorates-general: DG Energy (ENER) and DG Climate (CLIM). The new DG Energy will be headed by Britain's Philip Lowe who is currently director-general of DG Competition. ENER will combine the different units related to this sector from the former DG Transport and Energy together with the Task Force Energy from DG External Relations. Belgium's Jos Delbeke will lead the new DG Climate which is the combination of the climate related activities of DG Environment, DG External Relations and DG Industry. DG Transport and Energy (TREN) has been renamed DG Mobility and Transport (MOVE). State aid for transport is now being dealt with by DG Competition. Christian Leffler (Sweden) has been appointed as deputy director-general of DG Development while Rudolf Strohmeier (Germany), as deputy director-general in DG Research.
Barroso's new team wins backing from Parliament
10/02/2010
Yesterday in Strasbourg, the Barroso II Commission went to victory with a support of a massive 70% of voting members (488 in favour to 137 and 72 abstentions). The three large political groups voted massively in favour of the Commission. The vote of approval required a simple majority. The European People's Party (EPP, 265 seats) unanimously supported Barroso II. Thirteen of the 27 Commissioners are from their political family, including the president. 90% of the Social Democrats (S&D, 184 seats) favoured approval. Apart from certain exceptions, the Liberals (ALDE, 84 seats) supported also massively the new Commissions' team. The groups who voted against the new Commission are the Greens-EFA (55), the European United-Left Nordic Green Left (35), the far-right Europe of Freedom and Democracy group (31) and the non-attached (28). The Eurosceptic European Conservatives and Reformists (54) abstained. The new Commission officially takes up its duties on 10 February and will carry out its work until 31 October 2014. To see the new commissioners' portfolio, click here
Fur-farming is an agricultural success story in the European press
09/02/2010
In the continuation of the communication campaign started in January by EFBA and IFTF in the Parliament Magazine (see news 26/01/2010 "EFBA is in the European Press"), the second issue was published in the Parliament Magazine on 8th February. We want to show how the fur farming plays a significant role in the European economy and is a strong support to rural areas. The European fur farming is an agricultural success story. The full advertising is available in the below PDF document.
EFBA is in the European press
26/01/2010
EFBA, together with IFTF, has recently started a communication campaign in the Parliament Magazine (www.theparliament.com). The Magazine, published every fortnight, is a direct portal to MEPs and other key EU decision makers and informs policy making in the EU. Special feature editions include as Green Week, Employment Week, the OECD Forum as well as the depth EU Presidency supplements. The fur sector is pleased to have this great opportunity to raise its voice and open the debate over a sector too often misunderstood due to full of distorted truths given for many years. The first publication, joined with IFTF, was a general overview over the role of the two associations and the importance of the fur industry. The one page advertising is available in the attached document.
» Support Animal Welfare, Rural SME's and Consumer Information
EP vote of approval delayed for the new Commission College
22/01/2010
The initial Plenary vote on the full Commission College scheduled on January 26 will finally take place on February 9 after a delay caused by MEPs' refusal to approve the appointment of Bulgaria's Rumania Jeleva, nominee for European commissioner. Bulgaria's replacement nominee, Kristina Georgieva, a vice-president of the World Bank, will have a hearing before MEPs on 3 February. While Dacian Ciolos' nomination (photo), Romania's candidate for the European Commission, is not in any doubt after the EP Agricultural Committee sent a letter recommending his nomination. It was first a surprise however that someone from a country with a poor record of managing EU funds has been entrusted with a portfolio that receives the second-largest share of the EU's agricultural policy. But as previous head of the committee on agriculture, Ciolos showed fluent mastery of the detail of the EU's agricultural policy, as well as astute judgment of the political forces at play. If the vote on José Manuel Barroso's second team on 9 February is positive, the new Commission will be sworn into office at the European Court of Justice the following day and set to start work.
Debates have started on the new biodiversity strategy
21/01/2010
Declared this year as the ‘International Year of Biodiversity' by the United Nations, the European Commission published a communication, on 19th January, that proposes a long-term (2050) vision for biodiversity, as well as four options for a mid-term target (2020). The text recognises that the EU failed to meet its 2010 target but the text is an essential step on the way towards meeting the new goals. The 10-page text states that there should be greater financial opportunities in favour of biodiversity under the Common Agricultural Policy, while biodiversity concerns should be embraced into all policy areas. In terms of the next steps, discussions on the issue will commence at a high-level European conference on the ‘Post-2010 biodiversity vision & target', scheduled to take place in Madrid on the 26-27 January under the Spanish Presidency. International negotiations will follow in Nagoya, Japan in the autumn, while the Commission pledges to bring forward a new EU biodiversity strategy by the end of the year. The communication of the Commission is available in the attached document.
» Option for an EU vision and target for biodiversity beyound 2010
Climate Change and Biodiversity at the top priorities of the new EU Presidency
07/01/2010
From 1st January, Spain is at the helm of the EU. One of the top priorities announced in the joint programme of the Troika presidency (Spain, Belgium and Hungary) is the fight against climate change. But it will be up to Spain to start the evaluation, policies and measures that will result directly from the results of the Copenhagen climate conference. To this end, an informal meeting of energy and environment ministers will be held from 14 to 17 January in Seville. Other challenges are also on the horizon, like the revision of the drive to halt biodiversity loss within the framework of the International Year of Biodiversity (2010) and preparation of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and the Biosecurity Protocol (11-29 October 2010, Nagoya, Japan). Linked to these issues, the Spanish EU Presidency will pay attention especially to forest protection; prevention of natural disasters; water management and mainstreaming of the environment in all other policies in the context of a revised Lisbon strategy. Madrid is expected to launch the seventh action plan for the environment (the current plan expires on 21 July 2012), a task that will be continued by the Belgian and Hungarian EU presidencies. EFBA welcomes these initiatives. Taking care of the environment, our farmers use good management farming systems (e.g. recycling water, by-products...). We only breed domesticated animals and by this way contribute to the protection of the biodiversity.