site.btaBulgaria's Position for EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council Meeting Approved

The Government approved Friday Bulgaria's position for the upcoming meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council, which will be held on January 23, 2024, in Brussels. During the meeting, the Belgian presidency is expected to present its work programme in agriculture and fisheries for the first half of 2024.

The European Commission (EC) will present information on trade-related agricultural issues, after which ministers will exchange views on the issue. Bulgaria believes that preliminary impact assessments of EU trade agreements and autonomous trade measures need to include more detailed analysis so as not to compromise the viability of certain sensitive agricultural sectors, the Council of Ministers stated.

The Commission is expected to present information on the Strategic Dialogue on the future of agriculture in Europe. In order to continue to ensure EU's food security, European farmers need business certainty, durability in legislative requirements, simplicity, systematic and logical requirements.

Ensuring that each individual farmer receives a predictable and adequate level of support, irrespective of the year-on-year dynamics in the sector, is an important factor in ensuring a decent income for farmers. Mechanisms for fair support should also be envisaged so that there is no inequality between farmers in the EU.

Ministers will also discuss the EC's proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a monitoring framework for sustainable European forests. Bulgaria believes that the future Regulation should focus more clearly on forest sustainability and biodiversity conservation, the Cabinet noted.