The need for action concerning veterinary medicinal products and medicated feed laws is included in the headline list of EU presidency priorities set out this week by Slovak agriculture and rural development minister, Gabriela Matečná,
The Slovak Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers runs from July to December this year, following on from the high profile Dutch control of the council which ran from January to June.
Setting out her agriculture programme for the next six months in Brussels this week, Ms Matečná (pictured above), highlighted the need for common European solidarity-based solutions to the agricultural crisis and unfair trading practices.
Addressing the European Parliament’s agriculture committee, she also said she wanted to see progress on draft proposal on organic products, veterinary medicinal products and medicated feed laws.
Simplifying EU farm policy, promoting sustainable forestry and “balanced” trade deals were also high on her agenda.
Responding to MEPs questions on the implications of Brexit, Ms Matečná said it was “rather early to discuss this” and that the issue will be examined once Article 50 is triggered.
MEPs also used their welcoming session for the Slovak minister, to stress that the difficulties concerning the EU’s agricultural markets required further action “now”, adding that they are expecting EU farm commissioner, Phil Hogan, to come up with new measures on July 18, and to be ready to discuss them with the committee the following day.