Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the outcome of the Agricultural Council held in Luxembourg on 19th June was.
Answer
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome of the Agricultural Council held in Luxembourg on 19 June was. [2509] Margaret Beckett: I attended the meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers in Luxembourg on 19 June. The Council adopted by qualified majority (Spain and Netherlands opposing) measures to tackle the problems in the EU beef market resulting from the discovery of BSE in certain continental countries late last year. I was pleased to secure important exemptions for United Kingdom farmers from the measures cutting back suckler cow production, in recognition of the particular impact of FMD, as well as rejection of the excessively bureaucratic proposals to impose individual farmer quotas on beef special premiums and to reimpose the 90 head limit on individual claims. The Council also adopted--by qualified majority with Spain opposing and Portugal abstaining--rules to restrict the use of close confinement stalls for sows. This brings other countries into line with conditions already applying here. It is an important and welcome step to improve pig welfare across the Community, albeit less radically than I would have preferred. The Council also resolved to improve the welfare of animals during transport, which I urged must be given effect speedily. I updated my colleagues on the latest situation on FMD in the UK. The Council also discussed further measures on BSE, as a result of which the Commission will enact a range of further controls including an extension to the current ban on the use of animal protein in animal feed. The Council unanimously adopted conclusions following up the Copenhagen Conference on organic food and farming, and setting the framework for the European Action Plan. It unanimously agreed proposals concerning the olive oil and hops regimes, inspection and control of animal feedingstuffs, a special aid scheme for small farmers and a common position on controlling undesirable substances in animal feed. By qualified majority, it agreed common positions on the processing, use and disposal of animal by-products and on classical swine fever (Germany and Austria opposing in both cases).