COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEN UNION update

 

Press material Tuesday 14 June 2022

● European Council   14/06/2022 15:45 | Statements and remarks | Remarks by President Charles Michel after his meeting in Podgorica with President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović   Thank you, Mr. President. It is a great pleasure for me, on this occasion, to be here today in your country. It is a pleasure to meet you again. This is indeed an important moment for the future of the European continent. You have mentioned it. Russia has decided to launch a brutal war, a brutal aggression against the people of Ukraine. Right from the start, the European Union has acted with unity. To support Ukraine. And to sanction Russia. With the sixth package of sanctions that we have agreed on a few days ago, we are continuing to pile pressure on the Russian economy. To cut the oxygen from the Russian war machine. I would like to thank you, dear President, you and your government, and your country - for your full alignment with EU sanctions on Russia. We had the occasion to discuss the impact of Russia’s war on Montenegro. On the rising price of energy, food, raw materials. Montenegro has also shown great hospitality — hosting a large number of Ukrainian refugees. The EU is determined to maintain and to increase our support to you, to your government, to your people when you are addressing those extremely difficult challenges. We had the occasion to discuss the EU-Montenegro relationship. And this is right, you mentioned it: the Western Balkans are a strategic priority for the EU more than ever. And more than ever we must be fully committed to the European perspective of the partners. Montenegro has been a consistent partner for the EU over many years. In fact, for more than a decade, Montenegro has a 100% record of aligning with our common foreign and security policy. This shows your strong commitment to becoming a member of the EU. And with your new government - we discussed a few months ago, when we were together in Brussels - with your new government which is in place, now is the time to speed up your integration with the EU. By moving ahead with reforms. And by working constructively with all political actors and institutions in Montenegro to advance the EU accession process. The next step is to fulfil the interim benchmarks on rule of law. This will re-energise the accession process and allow Montenegro to move forward for the benefit of all the people of Montenegro. Next week, I will have the pleasure to organise a meeting of the 27 EU leaders with the Western Balkan leaders in Brussels. This meeting, I hope, will be an opportunity to show our unity of purpose and to boost our cooperation. We stand by your country and the region. Providing both short- and long-term support. A good example is our Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, up to 30 billion euros. It provides and it will provide funding to help and to support the region, close the development gap with the EU. And to deal with today’s geo-strategic challenges. We also had the occasion to discuss the proposal of a European political community. We had the occasion to make very clear that the goal is not replace the EU accession process. On the contrary, I am personally convinced that an immediate political integration with this possibility to have meetings on a regular basis at the level of the leaders will help us collectively to improve the mutual political understanding, and probably will help us to make progress in the field of the EU integration and EU accession. It will boost the enlargement process. This is my personal opinion and conviction. Finally, I would like to thank you again. We had today a very valuable exchange of views. It is always useful to listen to each other, to understand better what are the different priorities, concerns. We are determined to cooperate, to grow, to coordinate, to work closely together in order to make sure that we can prepare our common EU future. Meetings Monday 13 June 2022   ● Council of the EU   13/06/2022 23:22 | MEETING | Main results - Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 13 June 2022   EU agriculture and fisheries ministers met in Luxembourg to discuss the situation of agricultural markets in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They also exchanged views on the application of EU standards on imported agricultural and agri-food products, and discussed the state of implementation of the EU common fisheries policy and consultations for fishing opportunities for 2023. Meetings Council of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 13 June 2022 Main results Infographic - How the Russian invasion of Ukraine has further aggravated the global food crisisSee full infographic Agriculture Discussion on the market situation, especially following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia On the basis of the European Council conclusions, ministers recalled the importance of effective coordination measures at international level to ensure a global response to food security. The ability to move stored grain out of Ukraine before the next harvest is needed both for Ukrainians and to ease international markets. With the latest information from the Commission and the member states, and in the context of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, ministers continued their exchange of views on the situation of agricultural markets, both at global and European level. Ministers also discussed the recent weather conditions in some member states, including Croatia. In this context, sixteen delegations asked the Commission to extend, for the duration of the 2023 campaign, the principle of temporary derogations from certain provisions of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) put in place for 2022. The Commission indicated that it would rapidly come back to the Council on this matter. Ministers also reaffirmed the self-sufficiency of the European Union (EU) for most agricultural commodities thanks to the CAP and confirmed the CAP's ability to contribute to global food security, as underlined by the European Council.Situation on the agricultural markets, particularly following the invasion of Ukraine How Russia's war in Ukraine has impacted markets (background information) EU response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine (background information) Food security and affordability (background information) Reciprocity of standards for imported agricultural products Ministers exchanged views on the information provided by the Commission on its recently adopted report on the application of EU health and environmental standards to imported agricultural and agri-food products. The discussion followed an earlier debate organized by the French Presidency in February 2022 on strengthening the coherence between the European Green Deal, the Common Agricultural Policy and the EU’s trade policy. The report demonstrated the ability to implement measures, in compliance with WTO standards, in multilateral fora, in bilateral trade agreements or through autonomous measures when a production standard is introduced in European regulations. Ministers welcomed the report and stressed that in several areas, such as animal welfare, which was mentioned by many delegations, the examination of reciprocity was relevant, in particular by mobilizing multilateral forums and bilateral negotiations. They further asked that a regular follow-up of the measures implemented or planned be carried out.Report on the application of the Union's health and environmental standards to imported agricultural and agri-food products REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Application of EU health and environmental standards to imported agricultural and agri-food products Other business Ministers were informed by the Presidency of the work carried out over the last three months on the proposal for a regulation on geographical indications (GIs). They also received information from the Commission on the state of play regarding the African swine fever epizootic in Europe and the need for the continued mobilization of all to eradicate it, as well as on the programming process for the European Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMAFA). They further were informed by the delegations on the recent weather conditions in member states (Croatia) and on a common approach concerning the objectives of reducing the sustainable use of plant protection products (Estonia). Fisheries Fishing opportunities for 2023 The Commission informed ministers of the state of implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Ministers were also informed of the launch of the public consultation on fishing opportunities for 2023, which will run until 31 August 2022. Ministers exchanged views on the state of fish stocks and stressed the importance of ensuring equal treatment between the three pillars of the CFP, as well as the need to recognize the efforts and improvements made by the sector. They further discussed the implementation of the landing obligation, the specificities of each sea basin, the impact of third country fisheries and the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU, as well as the impact of other factors such as climate and pollution on the fisheries resource. Ministers additionally discussed the significant disruption to the fishing sector caused by Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, whether it be in terms of trade flows, the development of scientific advice or the holding of certain negotiations at international level. They further mentioned the mobilization of the European Fund for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture (FEAMPA) to finance crisis measures to support the sector.Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council Towards more sustainable fishing in the EU: state of play and orientations for 2023 COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council Towards more sustainable fishing in the EU: state of play and orientations for 2023

Press material Monday 13 June 2022

● Council of the EU   13/06/2022 22:51 | Press release | COVID-19: Council and European Parliament reach a provisional political agreement to extend the regulation establishing the EU digital COVID certificate   The Council and the European Parliament agreed today on the extension of the regulation establishing the EU digital COVID certificate. The digital COVID certificate has played an important role in facilitating the free movement of people during the pandemic. The regulation establishing the EU digital COVID certificate will be prolonged by one year, until 30 June 2023. The extension of the regulation will ensure that EU travellers as well as those from third countries connected to the system can continue to use their EU digital COVID certificate for travel within the Union in member states where these travel certificates are required. If the health situation allows, the regulation can also be repealed earlier.