The Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Dr. Maria Panayiotou, will be in Brussels for the first Council of EU Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers under the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which will take place on Monday, in the presence of Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen, Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, and Fisheries and Oceans, Kosta Kadis.
According to a Ministry press release, during the proceedings, Panayiotou will present the programme and key priorities of the Cyprus Presidency in the areas of agriculture and fisheries. Under the main message of the Cyprus Presidency, “An Autonomous Union, Open to the World,” the Minister will refer to the objectives of strengthening the competitiveness, sustainability, and attractiveness of the European agricultural and fisheries sectors.
It is noted that particular emphasis will be placed on the importance of a strong Common Agricultural Policy that ensures fair and stable incomes for farmers, strengthens their position in the food supply chain and contributes to maintaining the European Union’s food security through the production of safe and high-quality food, while at the same time, the Cyprus Presidency will work to highlight the need to adopt effective and immediately applicable measures to prevent and deal with natural disasters and fires.
It is added that within the framework of the Council, Ministers will hold a policy debate on the European Union’s new bioeconomy strategy, with a focus on aspects relating to agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, with a view to the formulation of new Council conclusions, the statement continues, adding that an orientation debate will be held on the European Commission’s proposal to amend the regulation on organic farming, with a view to simplifying the current framework.
It is further stated that during her visit to Brussels, the Minister of Agriculture will make a series of appearances before committees of the European Parliament.
Specifically, on Tuesday, she will appear before the Committee on Fisheries (PECH), on Wednesday before the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI), and on Thursday before the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), with the aim of presenting the priorities and initiatives of the Cyprus Presidency in the areas of competence of the respective EP committees, as well as to exchange views with EP members on the key challenges and policy priorities in the areas of agriculture, fisheries, the environment, and sustainable development.
The Minister will return to Cyprus on Thursday evening, the press release concludes.