Strengthening the competitiveness of European agriculture – particularly in light of the ongoing WTO negotiations – is the main topic of the informal Agriculture Council currently taking place in Krems under the Austrian Presidency. The Council, according to its current President Josef Pröll, Austria’s Agriculture and Environment Minister, at a first press conference today in Krems, is sending a clear signal that there is no reason for the EU to put another offer on the table at the World Trade Organisation. “Yes, we are giving strong backing to Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel.” Pröll added that the European Union had already made considerable prior concessions. There was a comprehensive offer on the table and it did not make sense to go back on it.
However, Pröll considers there is a need for action on the part of the EU’s WTO partners who, in his view, have not budged at all – particularly on services and industrial tariffs, areas in which the EU too awaits concessions. Full parallelism had to be ensured and there should be no unilateral offer. “Responsibility for progress certainly no longer lies with the European Union”, Pröll stressed. Above all “the main focus is on the USA to show flexibility”, he said. “But we are certainly not aiming at failure of the negotiations." However, it was unacceptable for “progress always to be made solely at the cost of the European Union". The EU was in agreement on this. “The EU is not split", Pröll declared, adding that the non-trade concerns were still on the agenda.
Education, consultancy, research, development and innovation as key ingredients of a vital, competitive rural community are also an important theme at the informal Agriculture Council and will be discussed tomorrow in four working groups. Today Pröll is taking his European colleagues to see examples of best practice where new ideas in the rural community are generating substantial added value for the whole region. “Innovation is key to generating income", the minister said. A visit to the company Waldland Vermarktungs GmbH in Oberwaltenreith and a guided tour of the Loisium wine centre in Langenlois are both on the programme. Pröll sees the presentation of these Austrian examples and structures as ideal preparation for tomorrow’s working sessions.
Another theme the agriculture ministers are likely to discuss is the imminent reform of the EU wine market organisation. “As my own family were wine producers, I am very sensitive to this issue", Pröll said. He expects an initial proposal in June. As opposed to the sugar sector, the pressure for reform was not coming from outside. Instead, it had become apparent within the EU that the sector was in need of an overhaul. Comprehensive discussions would be launched in June.
Email Service
Accreditation
Hotel Reservation
Route Planner
Weather