A tentative agreement on the draft Regulation on information and promotion measures for agricultural products on the internal market and in third country markets, was reached yesterday, under the Greek Presidency, between the Council, headed by the Minister for Rural Development and Food, Athanassios Tsaftaris, in his capacity as chairman of the Council of EU Ministers for Agriculture, the European Parliament and the European Commission.

The agreement was reached at in a trilogue that took place in Brussels, a few days after the political agreement in the AGRIFISH Council on 24 March.

The new regulation will have multiple benefits for the beneficiaries and in terms of the promotion of exports of Member States and the EU in general.

The formal approval of the results of yesterday's trialogue will be made by the three EU institutions, namely the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission, in accordance with their internal procedures, in the next few days.

Upon the conclusion of the triologue, Greek Minister for Rural Development and Food, Athanasios Tsaftaris, as the chairman of the Council of EU Ministers for Agriculture, stated the following:

“The successful finalization of the trilogue yesterday is of great importance for the new European Union policy on the promotion of quality agricultural products within the CAP reform as well as another important success for the Greek Presidency.  The political agreement laid the foundation for the immediate adoption of this regulation and its application significantly earlier than originally planned by the Commission. The adoption of the regulation will take place immediately after the endorsement of the compromise proposal of the three EU institutions according to the co-decision procedures.

It is worth mentioning that the adoption of this regulation was a major priority for the Greek presidency in the agri-fish sector since it provides multiple benefits compared to the existing regime, amongst others, the significant increase in both the total budget allocated to the promotion programmes and the EU financial contribution. This dossier beyond the importance attached to by the Greek presidency, had been also a priority by our co-legislator, the European Parliament as well as by the European Commission and the coordinated and huge efforts from the three sides contributed to the current agreement in record time.

I would like also to point out that the new regulation has many and great advantages for the European Union agriculture. It highlights the diversity, the quality, the traceability, the identity and the strict production standards that characterize the European agricultural products. The Union in general is one of the biggest exporters of quality products and the adoption of this regulation supports its strategic advantage for the production of quality products that are based to the diversity of its production systems, the soil and weather conditions and the long tradition.

Finally, on behalf of the Council I would like to thank the European Parliament, the European Commission and personally the President of the COM-AGRI of the Parliament, Paolo De Castro and the Commissioner for agriculture, Dacian  Ciolos, and their colleagues for the efforts deployed and their constructive cooperation to achieve this important agreement for the promotion of European agricultural products. I would like also to thank all my colleagues and their delegates, the council secretariat and all other involved bodies. Last but not least, I would like to mention my collaborators in the Ministry and the Greek Permanent Representation to the EU, who handled this matter successfully.”

Read below the Council's press release