[BBATTACH=full]21997[BBATTACH]
[BBp]Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Costas Kadis attended the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council, which took place on 12 and 13 December in Brussels.[BBp] [BBp]The Council adopted Conclusions on the contingency plan for ensuring food supply and food security in times of crisis. This issue has been on the Council's agenda recently in the light of the problems caused by the pandemic crisis in the agri-food chain. In his intervention, the Minister for Agriculture referred to the importance of having mechanisms at EU level to strengthen preparedness for upcoming crises, particularly in the area of food security and food supply. He highlighted the particular challenges faced by Cyprus as an island country with a significant dependence on imports, even for basic food and feed raw materials. He also stressed that Cyprus is located in a region that has been identified as a global hotspot in relation to climate change, and is therefore likely to be threatened by crises resulting from severe weather events. In this context, Mr Kadis welcomed the inclusion in the text of the Conclusions of references related to climate change crises and island states.[BBp] [BBp]Ministers also had the opportunity to exchange views on unfair trade practices in the food supply chain. It emerged from the discussion that such practices are found in most EU countries and that the recent European Directive on the subject is expected to make a catalytic contribution to tackling them. Speaking during the debate, Mr Kadis stressed that the existence of legislation that puts barriers to unfair commercial practices not only benefits the weakest in the agricultural supply chain, but also creates conditions of equality, with benefits for society and consumers in general. The Minister of Agriculture informed his counterparts that the relevant Directive has been transposed into the national law of Cyprus by unanimous vote of the House of Representatives last week, and it is expected that its implementation will have tangible results.[BBp] [BBp]In the context of the Council's work, the European Commission presented the proposed Regulation on restricting the placing on the market and export of products related to deforestation and forest degradation. The Minister of Agriculture supported the proposal for the new Regulation, stating that it is expected to be a shield for forests, removing products that contribute to deforestation and forest degradation from EU supply chains.[BBp] [BBp]The critical situation of the EU pig meat sector, which according to the data presented has been affected by the circumstances of the last period, was again raised in the context of the Council's work. The Minister for Agriculture, as well as several other Ministers, asked the European Commission to act immediately by activating appropriate emergency market support measures in the sectors in difficulty. He also stressed that the increase in the prices of cereals, energy, fertilisers and animal feed were adding to the particularly adverse effects on agriculture.[BBp] [BBp] [BBp](MF/EC/IC)[BBp] [BBp] [BBp] [BBp]
[BBSIZE=1]Contents of this article including associated images are owned by [BBB]PIO[BBB]
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or [BBB]PIO[BBB][BBSIZE][BBSIZE]
[BBurl="https://www.pio.gov.cy/ανακοινωθέντα-άρθρο.html?id=24807"]Source[BBurl][BBp][BBp]
[BBp]Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Costas Kadis attended the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council, which took place on 12 and 13 December in Brussels.[BBp] [BBp]The Council adopted Conclusions on the contingency plan for ensuring food supply and food security in times of crisis. This issue has been on the Council's agenda recently in the light of the problems caused by the pandemic crisis in the agri-food chain. In his intervention, the Minister for Agriculture referred to the importance of having mechanisms at EU level to strengthen preparedness for upcoming crises, particularly in the area of food security and food supply. He highlighted the particular challenges faced by Cyprus as an island country with a significant dependence on imports, even for basic food and feed raw materials. He also stressed that Cyprus is located in a region that has been identified as a global hotspot in relation to climate change, and is therefore likely to be threatened by crises resulting from severe weather events. In this context, Mr Kadis welcomed the inclusion in the text of the Conclusions of references related to climate change crises and island states.[BBp] [BBp]Ministers also had the opportunity to exchange views on unfair trade practices in the food supply chain. It emerged from the discussion that such practices are found in most EU countries and that the recent European Directive on the subject is expected to make a catalytic contribution to tackling them. Speaking during the debate, Mr Kadis stressed that the existence of legislation that puts barriers to unfair commercial practices not only benefits the weakest in the agricultural supply chain, but also creates conditions of equality, with benefits for society and consumers in general. The Minister of Agriculture informed his counterparts that the relevant Directive has been transposed into the national law of Cyprus by unanimous vote of the House of Representatives last week, and it is expected that its implementation will have tangible results.[BBp] [BBp]In the context of the Council's work, the European Commission presented the proposed Regulation on restricting the placing on the market and export of products related to deforestation and forest degradation. The Minister of Agriculture supported the proposal for the new Regulation, stating that it is expected to be a shield for forests, removing products that contribute to deforestation and forest degradation from EU supply chains.[BBp] [BBp]The critical situation of the EU pig meat sector, which according to the data presented has been affected by the circumstances of the last period, was again raised in the context of the Council's work. The Minister for Agriculture, as well as several other Ministers, asked the European Commission to act immediately by activating appropriate emergency market support measures in the sectors in difficulty. He also stressed that the increase in the prices of cereals, energy, fertilisers and animal feed were adding to the particularly adverse effects on agriculture.[BBp] [BBp] [BBp](MF/EC/IC)[BBp] [BBp] [BBp] [BBp]
[BBSIZE=1]Contents of this article including associated images are owned by [BBB]PIO[BBB]
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or [BBB]PIO[BBB][BBSIZE][BBSIZE]
[BBurl="https://www.pio.gov.cy/ανακοινωθέντα-άρθρο.html?id=24807"]Source[BBurl][BBp][BBp]
