Agriculture Minister: Structural Changes Needed in Fisheries
Slovenian Agriculture Minister Iztok Jarc said on Monday that there were no quick fixes to alleviate the situation in the fisheries sector as the price of oil continues to rise. Long-term structural changes are needed instead, Jarc said in Luxembourg ahead of a two-day Fisheries Council, which starts today.
Jarc, who will be chairing the meeting, said the issues on the council's agenda were related to structural changes and high food prices. "It turned out that there was strong correlation between cereal and oil prices."
Jarc said the fishing industry could be restructured in different ways adding that the EU was considering a revision of the common fishing policies.
The current system caps the "de minimis" (negligible) state aid to the fishing industry at EUR 30,000 in three years. The new proposal meanwhile wants to raise the amount to EUR 100,000.
As regards to EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) he said that an important step forward has been made by introducing measures to boost the supply, which would contribute to a better stability.
Jarc, his Portuguese counterpart Jaime Silva and German Agriculture Ministry State Secretary Gert Lindemann told the press that they were satisfied with the efficiency and the results of the troika of EU presidents.
Jarc is especially happy with the progress in cutting red tape, cross compliance and the wine reform. Silva said cooperation enabled greater efficiency and Lindemann stressed the trio, which consecutively chaired the EU over the last year and a half, was a good model, as it guaranteed continuity in EU policies.
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