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EU: Agriculture and Fisheries Council

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has today made the following Statement. My right honourable and honourable friends the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food (Jim Paice) and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Natural Environment and Fisheries (Richard Benyon) will represent the United Kingdom at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on 29 June. Richard Lochhead MSP will also attend. There are a number of items on the agenda relating to agriculture and fisheries which are of significant interest to the United Kingdom. Discussion will take place on the following: simplification of agriculture legislation; quarterly report on the dairy market; Commission communication on the consultation on fishing opportunities for 2011; and reform of the common fisheries policy In addition, council will vote on six decisions relating to GM maize food/feed, and may adopt conclusions on the international competitiveness of the European agri-food model. There are currently two items under any other business—information from the Commission on the implementation of the European Fisheries Fund (EFF); and information from the Netherlands on the conference on agriculture, food security and climate change. Finally Ministers will discuss the reform of the common market organisation (CMO) for fishery and aquaculture products over lunch.