At the last Council meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries held in Brussels on 28 November 2012,
Ministers had three orientation debates within the framework of the common agricultural policy
(CAP) reform.

The European Commission signed on Monday 26 November in Zanzibar (Tanzania) a cooperation agreement with the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) to improve the protection of traditional agricultural products (geographical indications or "GIs") in Africa.

The European Commission and the International Labor Organization (ILO) conducted a joint project aimed at a more inclusive and productive society through a reduction in occupational accidents and work-related diseases. The "Improving safety and health at work through a Decent Work Agenda" project was implemented in five pilot countries- Honduras, Malawi, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Zambia- starting in 2010.

According to the World Bank, 600 million new jobs will have to be created over a 15-year period for employment rates to remain constant.

Nanotechnologies that deliver fertilisers to plants offer promising ways of improving farm productivity while reducing the risk of water contamination. But the scientists behind a new Swiss-funded study caution that while the technology is still evolving, potential risks must be considered.

At the 29th Brussels Development Briefing on ‘Climate change, agriculture and food security’ we sat down with Arslan Aslihan, Natural Resource Economist at the Agricultural Development Division of FAO, to discuss the scaling-up of climate-smart agriculture implementation.
Further documentation from the Briefing available at: brusselsbriefings.net

European Parliament:
- 26-29 November: European Parliament committee meetings

European Commission:
- 26-27 November: EU Water Blueprint Conference

Council of the EU
- 26 November: General Affairs Council
- 28-29 November: European Council: Agriculture and Fisheries Council
- 29 November: Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) (Trade)

ACP Group:
- 26-29 November: 30th Session of the ACP PA and 24th Session of the Joint ACP-EU PA

You can also read our newspaper “CTA Brussels Daily” (fed by our Twitter account), follow our new Facebook group CTABrussels and our Twitter account CTABrussels to receive up-to-date information on EU-ACP events.

The European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) is now calling for an installation aid and annual top-up payments to facilitate young farmers entry to the agricultural sector and help buffer them from market volatility and price fluctuations in their first few fragile years of business.

The European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC) calls on the EU not to endorse the proposal of the President of the European Council H. Van Rompuy.

The European Union will grant 36 million euro for the support regional integration in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The sum will also be directed towards the development of the institutional capacity of SADC Secretariat as well as Member States, including civil society.