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EU: Agriculture and Fisheries Council

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Hilary Benn) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. My honourable friends the Minister for Marine and Natural Environment (Huw Irranca-Davies) and the Minister for Food, Farming and Environment (Jim Fitzpatrick) will represent the United Kingdom at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on 19 and 20 October. There are a number of items on the agenda relating to agriculture and fisheries which are of significant interest to the United Kingdom. Discussions will take place on the following: the dairy market; placing on the market of products from genetically modified maize; EU/Norway annual fisheries consultations for 2010; control system for ensuring compliance with the common fisheries policy; 2010 fishing opportunities for fish stocks in the Baltic Sea; marketing standards for poultry meat; and, health check corrections. There are currently two items under any other business: renewal of fishing fleet under the European fisheries fund regulation from Lithuania; and a state aid request from Poland for the purchasing of agricultural land. Also scheduled is a ministerial lunch on 19 October to discuss policy coherence for development and in particular those aspects relating to food security and FAO reform.