Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 7 September 2015

A meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council took place on 7 September 2015 in Brussels. Following the growing concern about the economic crisis especially in the dairy and in the livestock sectors in certain member states of the EU, the Luxembourg EU Presidency decided to convene an extraordinary Agriculture Council meeting.

The ministers discussed the following topics:

+ The development of EU agricultural markets
The market situation remained challenging for a number of products. The slump in prices coming on top of the extended Russian embargo, slowing growth in China and other detrimental factors such as the prolonged drought this summer reflected a supply-demand gap in certain sectors and hit European farmers hard, putting severe pressure on farm incomes.

+ The African swine fever outbreak in the Baltic countries
The Council was briefed by the Estonian delegation supported by Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, on the state of play of the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in those countries.

+ The consequences of the drought in Eastern Europe
The Polish and the Romanian delegations briefed the ministers of the consequences of the severe drought affecting their countries in the summer of 2015.

During the meeting the European Commission proposed a major package of support for farmers.

6,000 farmers from various European countries took part in protests and some rioting in Brussels during the meeting.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 13 July 2015 http://www.europeansources.info/record/agriculture-and-fisheries-council-13-july-2015/

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: SPEECH/15/5600, 07.09.15: Speech by Vice President Jyrki Katainen, at the Extraordinary Agriculture and Fisheries Council http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-15-5600_en.htm

ESO: Background information: European Commission presents a €500 million comprehensive package of measures to support European farmers http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-european-commission-presents-a-e500-million-comprehensive-package-of-measures-to-support-european-farmers/

Politico, 07.09.15: Protesting EU farmers get €500 million in aid http://www.politico.eu/article/protesting-eu-farmers-get-e500-million-in-aid/

EurActiv, 07.09.15: EU throws lifeline to farmers as protests bring Brussels to a standstill http://www.euractiv.com/sections/agriculture-food/eu-throws-lifeline-farmers-protests-bring-brussels-standstill-317402

EUObserver, 07.09.15: EU is 'last hope' for protesting farmers https://euobserver.com/economic/130140

ESO: Background information: French farmers warn of further protests, as blockades sparks anger in Germany http://www.europeansources.info/record/french-farmers-warn-of-further-protests-as-blockades-sparks-anger-in-germany/

BBC News, 07.09.15: Europe to give struggling farmers €500m in aid http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34171946

Deutsche Welle, 07.09.15: EU promises 'decisive' response to farmers' woes http://dw.com/p/1GSHi

France24, 07.09.15: Tractors block Brussels streets in call for EU farm action http://www.france24.com/en/20150907-tractors-clog-brussels-streets-farmers-europe-food-prices

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