Outcome of the DG Agriculture and Rural Development Consultative Conference on the CAP post-2013

This conference was the culmination of the public debate on the future of the CAP which was launched by Commissioner Ciolos in early 2010. Read in particular the summary report on the public consultation (PDF) and listen to the views of the civil society groups represented at the conference.

30 July 2010

EU Ombudsman announces decision on Brazilian beef imports

British and Irish farm organisations had complained that the Commission had put the health of European livestock at risk by refusing to immediately implement a ban on imports of Brazilian beef following a series of critical reports from the Food and Veterinary Office on Brazil's administration of its foot-and-mouth disease controls. The Ombudsman's decision rejected the complaint, but criticised the Commission for delays in implementing import restrictions. The decision provides a good insight into how EU food safety standards affect market access of a developing country and how the WTO SPS agreement adjudicates between ensuring animal health while not restricting trade disproportionately.

20 July 2010

The Geneva Agreement on Trade in Bananas

This is the official version of the agreement between the EU and Latin American banana exporters on the future EU trade regime for bananas, which brought to an end the longest-running trade dispute in WTO history. It sets out the agreed tariff schedule for bananas in the future. ACP banana exporters have expressed concern at the further erosion of the value of their preferential access.

5 July 2010

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