site.btaCabinet Approves Bulgaria's Position for Informal Meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers in Genk

At its regular sitting here on Wednesday, the Council of Ministers approved Bulgaria's position for the Informal Meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers in Genk, Belgium, from April 7 to 9. The European Ministers for Agriculture and the European Commission will discuss strategic autonomy in proteins.

Bulgaria's position is that a review is needed of the European supply chain in protein production and consumption; a short- and mid-term action plan is necessary to increase plant-based protein production and consumption in the EU in light of a change in the currently strong dependence on imports from third countries.

"Given that protein production begins from agricultural owners, we believe that a combination of rules is needed in the Common Agricultural Policy that would provide a stable framework, flexible governance practices and, as a whole, promotion of the production of protein-rich cultures. A positive step in that direction is the current derogation from certain good agricultural and environmental condition (GAEC) standards," the position reads.