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Agenda for March’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council

The next Agriculture and Fisheries Council will be on 16 March in Brussels. My hon. friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (George Eustice), will represent the UK. Richard Lochhead MSP and Rebecca Evans AM will also attend.

As the provisional agenda stands, the following items will be discussed.

On agriculture, there will be an orientation debate on the proposal for a Regulation on organic production and labelling of organic products. This will be followed by a state of play item on the milk sector. The Council will then hold a policy debate on the implementation and simplification of the Common Agricultural Policy. Finally, there will be an update on international agricultural trade issues.

No fisheries items are expected, but this remains to be confirmed at a meeting of Coreper on 11 March.

There is currently one Any Other Business item:

- Wool and fur from maltreated rabbits and furred animals

- Spread of Xylella fastidiosa in Southern Italy