15 November Agriculture Council

Date: 18/11/1999

DURING a low-key meeting of EU farm ministers, attention focused on the ongoing negotiations between France and the UK over Paris' refusal to lift the ban on imports of British beef, although the issue was not on the official agenda.

BOTH the French and UK ministers expressed optimism that a deal could be reached this week, although they still appeared to be a long way apart. France's Jean Glavany said that his government was looking for additional guarantees about the safety of UK beef while his British counterpart Nick Brown stressed that London was only offering “clarifications” and was not prepared to renegotiate the terms of the date-based scheme under which UK beef can now be exported to most EU member states.

MINISTERS held their first discussion on the European Commission's new proposals for reforming the Union's banana regime to bring it into line with World Trade Organisation rules. Officials said the new plan, which envisages a five-year transition regime based on quotas before moving to a tariff-only system, was given a mixed reception.

FARM ministers supported a Commission plan to provide €15 million to fund a marketing drive for EU products in third countries. They also backed an initiative which aims to integrate the Union's environmental objectives into agricultural policy-making. They said farmers should follow best agricultural practices, but should be rewarded for any environmental improvements which go beyond 'usual' standards. Ministers also agreed that agricultural policy decisions should also be in line with the 'polluter pays' principle.

MINISTERS also held their first discussion on two Commission proposals for identifying and registering cattle and labelling beef products, but no decisions were taken. Other items discussed included an initiative on protecting genetic plant resources and an update from Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne on measures taken in response to the dioxin-in-food crisis.