The Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting will take place in Brussels, on Monday 17 February 2014, starting at 10:00 (CET).  It will address mainly agricultural matters. The Council will be chaired by Greek Minister for Rural Development and Food, Athanasios Tsaftaris.

The Greek Presidency will present its work programme for Agriculture and Fisheries for its term in office.

The Council will then begin the examination of the main items on the agenda related to agriculture. Initially, the Commission will brief ministers about its recently submitted proposal for a regulation as regards the aid scheme for the supply of fruits, vegetables and milk in schools.

Following that, the Council will hold a policy debate on the proposal concerning promotion measures for agricultural products on the internal market and in third countries. This proposal was presented to the ministers in the last Agriculture Council meeting, in December 2013.

Ministers also will hold a policy debate on the situation in the EU dairy sector as a follow up to the discussion in the December Council. This discussion takes place in view of the abolishment of the milk quota system after 2015 and will examine whether additional measures for this sector are necessary.

The Council will be also briefed on the Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability, on the conclusions of the 34th Conference of Directors of EU Paying Agencies, the consequences of the outbreak of African swine fever in Lithuania, the outcome of the 3rd global conference on agriculture, food and food security and climate change, as well as the climate disaster and its effects on agricultural production in Slovenia.

Finally the Council will be informed on the state of play in the Commission’s preparations of the delegated acts related to the reformed CAP. Exchange of views will follow.

A press conference will be held at the end of the meeting.