EU Informal Agriculture Council Press Conference, September

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 002325

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/ERA, EB/TPP/ABT, EUR/UBI
STATE PASS USDA FOR FAS/ITP/SHEIKH, FAS/CMP/LEE
USTR FOR AG/JIM MURPHY
USEU FOR AGMINISTER COUNSELOR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR NL
SUBJECT: EU Informal Agriculture Council Press Conference, September


1.Summary: The EU Informal Agriculture Council met September 5-7 in
Netherlands under the Dutch EU Presidency leadership of Minister Cees
The Dutch chose "Agriculture under the Public Eye who is responsible
as the theme for the meeting, with the primary emphasis on the public
division of responsibilities in such areas as food safety, food quali
environment and sustainable production. In the press conference on S
Minister Veerman and David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Public Health a
Protection, emphasized the need for the government to have control an
responsibility over food safety issues but said there was room for mo
cooperation and a sharing of responsibility for systems and certifica
concerned with "food quality." The growing economic concentration in
production and food retail sectors was also discussed during the meet
Summary.

2.At the press conference for the Informal Agriculture Council meeti
September 7, Dutch Agriculture Minister Cees Veerman outlined the con
the meeting regarding the public-private sharing of responsibility fo
such as food safety. Veerman underlined that the government will alw
central role and responsibility for food safety, stressing that it is
area that can be delegated to the private sector. Regarding the diff
level of food safety systems and certifications, particularly with re
trade with developing countries, Minister Veerman said the EU should
its standards and norms, but rather should seek ways to improve food
systems and standards in other countries through capacity building ef
technical assistance. With regard to flexibility on food safety stan
-vis new member states, Veerman said there is a reluctance to loosen
standards.

3.On the other hand, Veerman noted that there was the opportunity fo
interchange and cooperation between government and the private sector
area of "food quality," where the safety of the product is not the is
rather the certification of attributes used to market the product. E
this would be organic or environment-friendly products, where the pro
be able to receive a higher price because of product differentiation
the way the food is produced. On a separate subject, Veerman noted t
discussion during the meeting regarding competition between small far
larger, industrialized farming operations. He said the conclusion fr
meeting was the need to have a "new view" on this subject.

4.David, Byrne, EU Commissioner for Public Health and Consumer Prote
commented further on the food safety discussion that had taken place
ce
3-day meeting, noting that a central issue is making sure the EU take
appropriate response to risk. He said the regulations should not ove
society, but should be a proportionate response to the risk involved.
emphasized the need for legislation to regulate food safety issues, B
that the EU has been flexible in the application of these rules with
smaller processing plants. He underlined the essential role for the
bodies and regulatory authorities in handling the most difficult and
food safety issues, such as the BSE crisis. Byrne also emphasized th
manage risk based on sound science, and expressed confidence that the
European Food Safety Authority was moving the EU in the right directi
echoed Veerman's comments regarding self-regulation by industry, sayi
this would be limited to the food quality matters, not food safety.
the relationship with third countries, Byrne spoke of the need to do
in the international harmonization of standards and risk assessment a
management, working through bodies such as CODEX.

5.In response to a question about the handling of animal welfare rul
Veerman said these rules and standards would fall in the sphere of fo
not food safety. He said food quality issues are a broader question t
appropriately discussed between the government and the private sector
EU Ag Commissioner Fischler noted that under CAP reform, there were m
standards for animal welfare and environment that producers must meet
cross-compliance rules.

6.On the question of regulating food quality and nutritional composi
particularly as it relates to issues such as obesity, Commissioner By
that draft legislation is in the works regarding the labeling of suga
fat content in foods. He said the objective is to provide informatio
assist consumers in making food choices.

7.In response to a question on the Council's reaction to the growing
concentration of the food retail sector, Minister Veerman said that t
t
taking place in the food retail industry have both pluses and minuses
hand, smaller producers have less bargaining power when marketing to
retail organizations. On the plus side, he noted that large food com
been a driving force in introducing strong food safety systems. #Sob