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- Ελληνικά
The Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Dr Maria Panayiotou, participated in the work of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of the European Union (EU), which took place on Tuesday 23 January in Brussels.
The Council discussed trade in agricultural products, the dialogue on the Strategy for the Future of Agriculture in Europe and the proposal for a Regulation establishing a monitoring framework for resilient European forests.
As regards trade, Ministers discussed the future development of EU trade relations as well as EU trade with Ukraine. Dr Panagiotou advocated for ensuring seamless, fair and rules-based food trade that promotes the EU's objectives of food security, tackling climate change and sustainable development. The Minister also said that given the current geopolitical situation, efforts to enhance the sustainability of food systems should be intensified. She also reiterated Cyprus' solidarity with Ukraine and supported EU efforts for unhindered food exports to regions in need.
In relation to the dialogue on the strategy for the future of European agriculture, the Minister stressed the importance of security and stability, enhancing competitiveness and uninterrupted food production. Dr Panagiotou noted that strengthening support for farmers and rural areas should be reflected in all EU policies, beyond the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), taking into account the specificities of Member States. Welcoming the launch of the Strategic Dialogue on Agriculture, the Minister stressed the need to formulate policy orientations through a thorough discussion with all stakeholders.
With regard to the proposal for a Regulation establishing a monitoring framework for resilient European forests, Dr Panayiotou noted that the establishment of the proposed monitoring system would contribute to enhancing forest resilience and to better respond to the ever-increasing pressures on forests.
The Minister also supported Portugal's initiative to strengthen the resilience of water resources and water availability, considering that this would help to address the impacts of climate change.
Finally, in a joint document Austria, France and Italy raised the need to safeguard primary food production, citing their concerns in relation to the artificial production of meat in the laboratory. Providing support for the paper, Dr Panayiotou called on the European Commission to take these concerns seriously, with a view to protecting the environment and agricultural production in the EU, consumer health and ensuring food quality and safety.
(B]PIO[/B]
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