§ Mr. RammellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 17 to 18 May; and if he will make a statement. [85239]
§ Mr. Nick BrownI represented the United Kingdom at a meeting of the EU Agriculture Council in Brussels on 17 May 1999.
The Council formally adopted all the legal instruments giving effect to the Agenda 2000 reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as agreed by EU Heads of Government in Berlin in late March. Now that this important stage has been reached, work can begin on the detailed texts which will put the CAP reform measures into operation with effect from next year.
The Council discussed the present state of the EU pigmeat market. The Council requested experts to examine the issues affecting the market further at the level of the management committee, a position I supported on behalf of the United Kingdom.
Agriculture Commissioner Fischler informed the Council of the current position with regard to WTO rulings on bananas and growth hormones in beef. On the former, I stressed the need for a WTO-compatible outcome which also had regard for the interests of the vulnerable Caribbean ACP producers. On the latter, I urged the Commission to take a measured approach with the US authorities, and to conduct a full exchange of information between the two sides on the underlying science.
On veterinary medicines, the Council supported a resolution calling for action on the problems of antibiotic resistance in veterinary and human medicine. The resolution will be taken forward to the EU Health Council in June for adoption. The Council adopted a resolution setting out measures designed to avoid the loss of 41W veterinary medicinal products when the deadline for setting maximum residue limits in foodstuffs of animal origin expires at the end of December 1999.