The Council will then discuss the issue of sustainable soil management and the state of play of trade-related agricultural issues.
Under any other business, ministers will also be informed about the outcome of the summit on 'Equal quality of products for all' and of the meeting of the Visegrad group held on 21 September, and in particular its deliberations on the renewable energy directive, and the ongoing BIOEAST initiative in the field of knowledge-based agriculture, aquaculture and forestry in the bioeconomy.
A press conference will be held at the end of the meeting, at around 17.10 with Commissioner Hogan.
Sustainable use of pesticides:
The Commission will present its report on member states' national action plans (NAPs) and on the progress achieved in the implementation of Directive 2009/128/EC on the sustainable use of pesticides (13138/17).
The report recognises that member states have made substantial progress, particularly with regard to training pesticide users, controlling aerial spraying, controlling the handling and storage of pesticides, and reducing pesticide use in specific areas. At the same time it also highlights gaps in the drafting and implementation of NAPs, notably on the assessment of the use of integrated pest management (IPM) principles and the gathering and use of information on pesticide poisoning. One of the main shortcomings highlighted in the report is the absence of specific and measurable targets in NAPs.
Ministers will be asked to answer the following questions (13438/17):
- which measures do you consider to be the most important and effective for achieving the objectives of Directive2009/128/EC?
- which (additional) measures do you consider essential to ensure the acceleration of the implementation of IPM principles?
Sustainable plant protection featured already on the agenda of the Council in June 2016, when the Council supported an implementation plan on increasing low-risk plant protection product availability and accelerating integrated pest management implementation in member states (10041/1/16 REV 1 + ADD 1).
...
Full backgroun brief available via the link below!
