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The Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Mr Andreas Gregoriou, participated in the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting held on Monday 18.09.23.
Regarding fisheries issues, the Council discussed the annual consultations on fishing opportunities for 2024 with the United Kingdom, Norway and the North Atlantic coastal states. In his intervention, Mr Gregoriou expressed Cyprus' support for the Commission's efforts to ensure the sustainable management of fish stocks, with particular reference to the preservation of fishermen's rights in all EU waters. Therefore, he pointed out that any unilateral actions by third countries should not be accepted, recalling the ongoing illegal Turkish fishing activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.
On agricultural issues, Ministers discussed the agricultural aspects of the Soil Health Directive as well as issues related to trade and the long-term vision for the EU's rural areas. Gregoriou stressed the importance of soil protection, noting that the goal of making all EU soils healthy by 2050 is a major challenge. He pointed out that in order to achieve this objective, the objective difficulties and specificities of the Member States should be taken into account.
Regarding trade in agricultural products, Mr Gregoriou advocated ensuring unhindered, fair and rules-based international trade in food products. He stressed the importance of the EU as a pillar of stability and security, noting the need to support food security, sustainable development and the fight against climate change. He also stressed the importance of supporting Designation of Origin and Geographical Indication products and the EU's high standards in agreements with third countries. He also reiterated Cyprus' solidarity with Ukraine, noting that the resolution of problems in the EU internal market should be promoted collectively.
In the context of the discussion on the long-term vision for the EU's rural areas, the Director-General supported the Spanish Presidency's objective of drafting Council Conclusions to provide political guidance for shaping the future of the EU's rural areas. He stressed the need for targeted measures alongside the involvement of local actors, exploiting synergies between EU financial instruments beyond the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). He noted that Cyprus is taking measures, through a specific National Development Strategy, for mountain communities.
Additionally at the Summit, Greece and Slovenia referred to the devastating damage to their food production and crops due to the extreme weather events that recently hit them. Gregoriou expressed Cyprus' full support and solidarity with the two countries, stressing the need to support those affected. He supported Greece's proposal for an in-depth discussion for an immediate and effective response to such disasters.
He also stressed the importance of focusing on prevention and the creation of regional cooperation centres, noting the recent initiative of Cyprus and Jordan to establish a Regional Forest Firefighting Centre. Finally, he thanked all European countries that responded through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (rescEU) for assistance in fighting the recent fires in Cyprus.
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