§ Mr. HoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the Agriculture Council held on 27 June; what the Government's stance was on each issue discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement. [67730]
§ Margaret BeckettI represented the United Kingdom at the Agriculture Council meeting in Luxembourg on 27 June 2002.
The Council received progress reports on Commission proposals concerning the control of zoonoses and a common market organisation for ethyl alcohol, and reached provisional political agreement on 643W a proposed framework regulation laying down general food hygiene rules. It noted there was no qualified majority support for or against a proposal to register "feta" as a protected legislation of origin. Under the relevant procedures, this means the Commission will be able to adopt the measure under its own powers in due course.
During a brief discussion of BSE, Commissioner Byrne called on the French Government to comply with the ECJ's ruling on its illegal ban on British beef exports. The French Minister announced their intention to defer implementation of their national rules banning spinal cord from sheep over six months old until January 2003. I subsequently followed up both these points bilaterally with my French counterpart.
The Council discussed Presidency papers on the future of the EU's Veterinary Fund, the CAP fruit and vegetables regime and the use of agricultural insurance as a risk management tool. It also received a presentation from Commissioner Fischler on the medium term prospects for the main EU agricultural markets, in advance of his proposals for CAP Reform, which are expected on 10 July.