ARC NEWSFLASH JULY 2013

Dear friends and supporters

As politicians pack up for summer, our attention is now turning to the international summer camp taking place from 29 August – 1 September in Wietze, Germany. With just four weeks to go, preparations are gaining momentum. Either side of the main action day on Saturday 31 August, a series of side events have now been organised. On Friday 30 August a full day of workshops will take place, hosted by representatives from movements across Europe.

Workshop highlights include ‘Chicken – €1.99 a kilo: the true cost’ run by Jonty Whittleton from Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) and ‘Crisis Food from Greece’ run by Pavlos Georgiadis.

Every evening people can watch films and dance to live music and DJs under the stars. The Friday night will also see a disco soup – the increasingly popular action against food waste.

The aim of the event is to highlight the problems and failings of Europe’s food and farming policy; and discuss alternatives. Wietze in Lower Saxony – home to the largest poultry slaugherhouse in Europe – can be seen as a symbol of the type of farming that is destroying our environment, polluting communities, producing food we can’t trust, putting our health at risk and displacing small farms.

Thousands of people are expected to attend the camp in Wietze, with several buses and bicycle tours heading to the event now confirmed. If you would like to join us, for one day or the whole event, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

On 16 July a Commission proposal to restrict the use of Fipronil – an additional insecticide recently identified as posing an acute risk to Europe’s honey bee population – was backed by 23 Member States. Spain and Romania voted against. Slovakia, the Czech Republic and the UK abstained. The Commission proposal was made after the EFSA identified Fipronil as harmful to bees in May this year. This latest proposal follows the temporary ban of three pesticides (neonicotinoids) backed by Member States in April.

On the same day, the EU Commission took steps to tackle food waste in Europe. They announced plans to release a ‘Communication on Sustainable Food’ which will be the result of an extensive consultation process. Between now and October 1st consumers, producers, NGOs and food activists are officially invited to submit their ideas on action to tackle the problem, and suggest ways to ensure the efficient use of resources in the food system. Find out more here.

Heading into August, Brussels is likely to be quiet during the summer break, but keep an eye on all updates here.

July Agricultural and Fisheries Council Meeting

On July 1 Lithuania took over the Council presidency. For the next six months, Agricultural and Fisheries Council meetings will be chaired by Lithuanian Minister – Vigilijus Jukna.

From 15 – 16 June, the Council came together in Brussels. The meeting was the first time the Council had met since the CAP reform deal was announced, the first to be held under under the Lithuanian Presidency and the first with Croatia as a full member.

During the meeting, the Presidency identified their priorities for the next 6 months. These included seeking to complete work related to the approval and entry into force of the CAP reform package; as well as negotiating with the European Parliament and adopting a proposal for transitional CAP provisions in 2014. This will be done before certain aspects of CAP enter into force in January 2015, in particular direct payments and rural development.

Find the Council press release here
Find the new Presidency website here

23.09.2013
Agriculture and Fisheries Council Meeting
Brussels

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