| This weblog shares information on key ACP-EU programmes and events from Brussels relevant to agriculture and rural development in ACP countries. Date : [DATE] CTA Brussels Newsletter
Main events in the week - Main ACP-EU events for next week (7-13 December)
- 9th December 2009 - 'From Global Food Crisis to Local Food Insecurity'
- Our video guest: Mr. Carlos Palin, manager of the SFP Programme
- Briefing “ACP rural development: why Media matters?”: Report available
- WTO Ministerial Conference
- Commonwealth leaders agree to admit Rwanda
- ACP-EU Assembly: financial crisis must not lead to development aid cuts
- 2010 guide prices for fisheries products: decrease for most products
- New banana trade deal in the making
- Comesa countries get $946 million for trade
- Gordon Brown proposes £10 billion fund to fight climate change
- ACP mechanism for coordination and cooperation in fisheries
- EU declaration on HIV/AIDS in South Africa
- A new era begins today
- Poor countries call for foreign debt write-off
- French support development aid despite crisis
- EC welcomes ICCAT’s action to save bluefin tuna and other marine species
- New fisheries management organisation for the South Pacific high seas
- Atalanta chief on EU fight against pirates
- Malawi: When disaster strikes
- Drop in state aid for poor countries in French “Climate Justice” plan
- Bridging the gap in supply chain standards
- Blair's climate change advisor voices doubts over Copenhagen
- Fish farming seen driving food security
- Bananas: fight against poverty still a priority of the EU strategy?
- President Barroso unveils his new team
- Main ACP-EU events for next week (7-13 December)
2009-12-04
European Parliament (Brussels): - 7 and 10 December: Committee meetings - 8 – 10 December: Political groups meetings EU Presidency (Brussels, Copenhagen): - 7 – 13 December: United Nations Climate Change Conference (Copenhagen) - 7 December: General Affairs and External Relations Council; Foreign Relations Counsellors Working Party (RELEX) - 8 December: General Affairs and External Relations Council; Working Parties: ACP, Foodstuffs - 9 December: Coreper I; Political and Security Committee (PSC); Working parties: Development Cooperation (CODEV), International Environment Issues (WPIEI) Synergies, Foreign Relations Counsellors (RELEX) ACP Secretariat (Brussels): - 7 December: Preparatory meeting on the Consultations between EU and Niger; S/C on Investment and Private sector; PAHD Department + PMU - 8 December: Bureau of the Committee of Ambassadors; Consultations between EU and Niger; African Union; ACP Thematic Group III - 9 December: ACP-OIF on observations of electoral processes for ACP countries; ACP Economic and Social Partners; - 10, 11 December: 3rd ACP Civil Society Forum CTA Briefing (Brussels – Berlaymont building): - 9 December: “From Global Food Crisis to Local Food Insecurity” For more information please consult the calendar on our webpage http://brussels.cta.int/ European Parliament EU Presidency ACP Secretariat
- 9th December 2009 - 'From Global Food Crisis to Local Food Insecurity'
2009-12-04 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Food Security, Aid effectiveness, Rural development, Archive
CTA in partnership with the European Commission-DG Development and EuropeAid, the EU Presidency, the ACP Secretariat, Euforic, IPS Europe and Concord organizes bimonthly Development Briefings in Brussels to raise awareness on key rural development issues with the development community based in Brussels. The next Brussels Development Briefing will be held on 9th December and will discuss "From Global Food Crisis to Local Food Insecurity" in the context of the new EC policy on Food security to be released. The Briefing will be looking at the domino effects of increased speculation in food markets (How has the global food and financial crisis affected food production and distribution and the food security of the poorest? Is global food production at risk in the medium and long term and will national food security and food sovereignty be the priority over global food availability? Is the small-scale farming more effective and resilient in times of crisis in least-developed countries?) and the on what realistic policy options can secure food supply and availability at global and local levels. The meeting will be held on 9th December at Berlaymont from 8h30 to 13h00. You can view outcomes of previous meetings at http://brusselsbriefings.net. For registration please contact: boto@cta.int This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or pruna@cta.int Read more Read the programme Registration form
- Our video guest: Mr. Carlos Palin, manager of the SFP Programme
2009-12-04 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Regional Fisheries, Aid effectiveness, Food Security
Mr. Carlos Palin, manager of the "Strengthening Fishery Products Health Conditions in ACP/OCT Countries" (SFP) Programme is our guest. Mr. Palin provide us an overview of the context, the objectives and the types of activities and operations of the programme, financed by European Development Fund, on behalf of the competent authorities, test laboratories, the fish industry and small-scale fisheries of the ACP countries and the OCT (Overseas Territories and Countries), aimed at improving the sanitary conditions for fishery products as food for human consumption so as to increase the income of those countries by developing trade and optimal use of available resources. M. Palin then stresses that granting a reasonable price to producers, transparency and a good management of halieutic resources are among the key challenges for the ACP fishing sector. SFP Programme Watch the video
- Briefing “ACP rural development: why Media matters?”: Report available
2009-12-03 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Rural development, Food Security, Archive, Aid effectiveness
The Report prepared for the Briefing on “ACP rural development: why Media matters?”, held on 12th October 2009, is now available online. The report give a summary of discussions as well as resources and references related to the subject. Read the Report Read more on the Briefing All the Reports
- WTO Ministerial Conference
2009-12-03 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade
The Extraordinary Council meeting on General Affairs and External Relations held in Geneva on 30 November 2009 congratulated Commissioner Catherine Ashton on her nomination as the first High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to be appointed under the Lisbon Treaty. The Council took note of information provided by the Commission and the comments made by delegations on preparations for the 7th ministerial conference of the WTO. It also stressed the crucial role of the WTO in the current economic and financial crisis, and its full endorsement of the WTO's efforts to provide an effective monitoring process to counter protectionism. The EU intends to play a very active role during the conference, to advance on the themes of the two working sessions, without losing sight of the effects of the current economic downturn on least developed countries. Source: Council of the EU Read more More on the Conference World Trade Organisation
- Commonwealth leaders agree to admit Rwanda
2009-12-03
Commonwealth leaders holding their biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on 28 November 2009 considered application for membership by the Republic of Rwanda. The leaders agreed to admit Rwanda as the 54th member. Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma telephoned Rwanda’s President, Paul Kagame, late on 28 November 2009 to convey the leaders’ decision. Chairperson-in-Office, Prime Minister Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago, discussed the subject at a news conference later on 29 November 2009. Source: The Commonwealth Secretariat Read more Commonwealth Member States EU relations with Rwanda
- ACP-EU Assembly: financial crisis must not lead to development aid cuts
2009-12-03 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Aid effectiveness, ACP-EU Trade, Food Security, Rural development
Official development aid must continue to grow and not suffer from the current economic and financial crisis, warned ACP-EU Co-President Louis Michel at the inaugural session of the 18th ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on Monday in Luanda. "Additional" funds should be released to help developing countries combat the food crisis and climate change, argued Louis Michel. "This money ought not to be deducted from current development aid", said Mr Michel, noting that some states are cutting their development aid budgets in response to the crisis, and adding that "nothing justifies such a reduction in official development aid - quite the contrary". Mr Michel advocated seeking new sources of development policy funding, such as a tax on air fares", and backed the idea, tabled by certain Member States, of a "tax on financial transactions". He condemned the coup d'Etat in Niger, observing that "the situation in Niger does not allow us to recognise constitutional bodies deriving from non-constitutional elections", a law that makes homosexuality a crime in Uganda, and difficulties in overcoming the crisis in Madagascar, despite African Union mediation efforts.The ACP-EU Assembly should have a say in ACP-EU economic partnership agreements, reiterated Mr Michel, adding that within the new European Commission, development policy needs to retain enough autonomy from the rest of development policy to ensure that it can meet specific needs. ACP Co-President Wilkie Rasmussen (Cook Islands), again called for EPAs to be accompanied by specific measures and funding to help ACP countries cope with the opening of their markets to European imports. "Otherwise, EPAs may not deliver on their development aid promises", warned Mr Rasmussen. Source: European Parliament Read more ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly ACP-EU relations
- 2010 guide prices for fisheries products: decrease for most products
2009-12-02 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Regional Fisheries, ACP-EU Trade, Food Security
The European Commission has adopted its annual proposal on next year’s guide prices for fresh and frozen fisheries products as well as the EU producer price for tuna for processing. The Commission proposes to decrease guide prices for white fish and crustacean species, by between –1% and –6%. The current economic crisis is strongly affecting consumer demand for fisheries products in the EU. The decrease in demand has resulted in dramatic drops in first-sale prices in the first half of 2009, in particular for whitefish and crustacean species. On the other hand, the recent price evolution for pelagic species and frozen products has been less negative. For pelagic species there are increases for sardines and albacore (between 1% and 3%) but decreases for herring, mackerel, Spanish mackerel and anchovies (between –1% and –4%). For frozen products, the Commission proposes upward adjustments of between 1% and 2% for hake and prawns and decreases of between –1% and –4% for Greenland halibut, sea bream, cuttlefish, octopus and squids. Finally, the Commission proposes to decrease the EU producer price for yellowfin tuna by -4% in the light of the recent deterioration of the market for this product. Source: European Commission Read more Proposal for a Council Regulation ACP-EU Fisheries
- New banana trade deal in the making
2009-12-02 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade, Rural development
It is probable that at some time in the next two weeks, Europe will announce that a final deal on bananas has been achieved. In so doing, it will bring to a close the trade war that it has been fighting with Latin producers and the United States since 1993. If documents now circulating in Brussels represent the outcome, the final solution will not be much to the Caribbean's liking. On agreeing a deal, Europe will reduce its banana tariff from €176 to €148/t. Then, over a period of seven years, the tariff will fall to €114/t for all non-preferential imports of bananas into Europe. In exchange, Latin American producers will agree to drop their complaints against the EU at the World Trade Organisation. As with most matters of this kind, the final outcome is not yet guaranteed. There are still sensitive exchanges under way on a small number of issues requiring resolution. ACP producers have yet to agree on the level of compensation proposed. The European Commission has offered €190 million to €200 million over four years to support economic restructuring, compared with the ACP's most recent counterproposal of €250 million. For its part, the US has to agree legal aspects of the agreement. Source: Jamaica Gleaner Read more EC banana trade EU relations with Latin America
- Comesa countries get $946 million for trade
2009-12-02 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade, Aid effectiveness
The European Union is giving a total of 653 million Euros to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) member countries to finance projects that will help them to develop capacity in trade with other countries.The funds are to benefit companies investing in warehouse receipt systems, road construction, agriculture improvement projects and government departments among other things. It is aimed at developing the least developed countries' capacity to trade. It includes support to building new infrastructure, improving ports or customs facilities and assistance in helping factories meet European health and safety standards for imports, according to the European Union Operations Officer on Trade and Regional Integration in Uganda Alex Nakajjo. He said Uganda will in addition get 439 million Euros while the all the member states of the Comesa states will get 635 million Euros for projects to be implemented in the next five years. Source: AllAfrica Read more ACP- EU trade Economic Partnership Agreements
- Gordon Brown proposes £10 billion fund to fight climate change
2009-12-02 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Environment, Aid effectiveness
Gordon Brown proposed a new global fund today to "kickstart" the Copenhagen climate change process and encourages poorer countries to start cutting greenhouse gas emissions immediately. Just days ahead of the vital UN-sponsored climate change conference in the Danish capital, Mr Brown proposed a £10 billion rich-world fund - to which Britain would contribute £800 million-to give incentives to developing countries to halt deforestation, develop low-carbon energy sources and prepare for the effects of a warmer climate. The Copenhagen Launch Fund would cover the years 2010/12 and deliver funds to poorer states on a "payment by results" system, under which those which showed they were taking action to halt climate change would receive more cash. Mr Brown said the Launch Fund would allow the world to break the "deadlock" over a deal at Copenhagen and "get moving on climate change as quickly as possible". Source: The Independent Read more Copenhagen Climate Conference CTA Briefing on 'Climate Change'
- ACP mechanism for coordination and cooperation in fisheries
2009-12-02 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Regional Fisheries, Food Security, Aid effectiveness
Based on the mandate provided by the Resolution of June 2008 taken by the Council of ACP Ministers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the first Meeting of ACP Ministers in charge of Fisheries was convened from 2nd to 5th June 2009, with the view of creating an ACP mechanism for coordination and cooperation in fisheries. At the end of its proceedings on the 18th of November, the 90th ACP Council of Ministers, meeting in Brussels approved the creation of an ACP Ministerial Fisheries Mechanism with the objective to shore up political support, both within the group and from its external partners and the creation of a Trust Fund for the mechanism to be financed by the voluntary annual contribution of Member States and grants from other sources. Source: ACP Secretariat Read more Report meeting June 2009 CTA Briefing on 'IUU Fisheries'
- EU declaration on HIV/AIDS in South Africa
2009-12-01 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Archive, Aid effectiveness
Today Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson will present a special EU declaration on HIV/AIDS when she participates in World AIDS Day in Pretoria, South Africa, as representative of the Swedish Presidency of the European Union. The groups she will speak about include women and young people, but also groups at particular risk such as men who have sex with men, injecting drug users and people who sell and buy sex. “An effective response to HIV and AIDS requires full respect for all human rights. The right not to be subject to stigma and discrimination must be guaranteed. These populations must be seen, their voices must be heard, their needs must be met and their rights protected,” says Ms Carlsson. Source: EU Presidency Read more World HIV/AIDS Day
- A new era begins today
2009-12-01
From today, EU cooperation enters a new era. With the Treaty of Lisbon, which comes into force today, the European Union is equipped for new challenges, stated Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. Mr Reinfeldt further reiterated " With the Treaty of Lisbon, EU citizens get a Union that can meet the demands of the 27 Member States for transparency, democracy and efficiency. A Union that can better meet the challenges of globalisation. Now the long efforts to get a new European framework in place have reached an end". The occasion will be marked by a ceremony in Portugal’s capital organised jointly by the Portuguese Government, the Swedish Presidency and the European Commission. Source: Presidency of the EU Read more Read more (2) Treaty of Lisbon
- Poor countries call for foreign debt write-off
2009-12-01 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Aid effectiveness, Rural development, Food Security
Experts from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries who met last Wednesday in Luanda to prepare for the 18th session of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly are calling on the member states of the European Union and other rich countries to write off poor nations’ foreign debts. This standpoint was expressed in a statement read out to the press by the spokesperson at the meeting, Robert Luke Ironga, stressing that almost 60 countries need debt cancellation to have a chance of achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Robert Luke Ironga reported that the meeting had saluted measures already taken by some EU states to cancel developing countries’ debts. The document contains a draft motion for a resolution calling on donor countries to take account of the effects of the economic crisis on the ACP states and apply the principles enshrined in the Paris Declaration on aid efficiency, reiterated in the Accra Agenda, and expressed at the Doha Conference and several G20 summits. Source: ANGOP Read more Read more on MDGs ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
- French support development aid despite crisis
2009-12-01 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Aid effectiveness, Rural development, Food Security
The fourth AFD-IFOP poll on the French population’s attitude to development aid has revealed that French people consider their country’s public development aid spending to be justified. Six out of ten believe that France plays an important role in fighting poverty in the international arena and should continue to develop its own aid policy within a European framework (76%). This view applies both to bilateral and multilateral aid (Unitaid, the global fund to fight AIDS and tuberculosis, the European development fund, etc.). Although the majority of French people believe the aid to be effective, they also think efficiency could be further improved through supporting local partners and promoting knowledge transfer. 66% of respondents said France’s aid for developing countries was justified in spite of the crisis and the country’s budgetary problems. A large majority of those questioned (57%) were aware of the importance of aid in tackling the international crisis and believed the development budget should be maintained or increased. 71% said the EU should increase its aid. Source: AFD Read more Agence Française de Développement DG Development
- EC welcomes ICCAT’s action to save bluefin tuna and other marine species
2009-12-01 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Regional Fisheries, Environment
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT), which met near Recife, Brazil, adopted a number of new multi-annual management plans which align fishing opportunities with the latest scientific opinions. The European Commission is particularly satisfied with the consensus reached on the recovery plan aimed at Eastern bluefin tuna, whose total allowable catch for 2010 has been reduced to 13500 tonnes (as compared to 22000 tonnes in 2009). This will be accompanied by drastic cuts in fishing capacity. ICCAT also approved additional management measures for Mediterranean swordfish which will, on the one hand, reinforce the protection of juvenile fish through more stringent closure of fishing activities at the end of the year and, on the other, foresee the adoption of a long-term management plan at the 2010 ICCAT meeting on the basis of up-to-date scientific advice. Once again this year, bluefin tuna has been high on the agenda of the ICCAT meeting. ICCAT agreed on strict new conservation measures to help the recovery of the bluefin tuna stock. In addition to the quota reduction to 13500 tonnes for 2010, the fishing season for purse seiners will be reduced to only one month in the year (between 15 May and 15 June). This shorter season can no longer be extended in case of bad weather conditions. As an additional precautionary measure, it was that agreed that, if in the course of 2010 scientists were to detect a serious risk of stock collapse, the fishery for Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin might be suspended completely. Also in 2010, following a new and up-to-date scientific assessment, ICCAT will adopt catch levels offering a high probability of allowing the species to rebuild. All these measures stem from proposals tabled by the EU which received broad support and were adopted by consensus. Source: European Commission Read more Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna Total Allowable Catches and quotas
- New fisheries management organisation for the South Pacific high seas
2009-12-01 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Regional Fisheries, Aid effectiveness, Environment
The European Commission has welcomed the adoption of a Convention for the setting up of a new regional fisheries management organisation (RFMO), to manage non-tuna fish stocks in the south Pacific, in Auckland, New Zealand. This Convention will allow to fill in the large gap that currently exists in the international conservation and management of non-highly migratory fisheries and in the protection of biodiversity in the marine environment in the high seas areas of the South Pacific Ocean. This development has been achieved after three and a half years of negotiations and the holding of eight diplomatic conferences. The Convention text represents one of the most modern examples of fishery management legal instrument, encompassing ecosystem considerations together with the precautionary approach principle and purely fishery management ones. The Convention is the fruit of the efforts by several States from the west and east Pacific as well as by a number of major long-distance fishing nations. Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries said: "This is a clear demonstration that multilateral cooperation between States with different interests and levels of economic development can achieve proper results for the conservation of oceans. All the players concerned must continue to work together to strengthen this new organisation which will allow for the effective management of fisheries resources and the protection of the marine environment in this vast area of the high sea which need to be protected from uncontrolled exploitation". Source: European Commission Read more South Pacific RFMO Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
- Atalanta chief on EU fight against pirates
2009-12-01 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Aid effectiveness
"Operation Atalanta" is the codename for the EU anti-piracy campaign off the Somali coast, seeking to protect to vessels crossing these treacherous waters. It is no small task considering the size of the area the operation has to patrol. Operation Commander Rear-Admiral Peter Hudson of Britain's Royal Navy was in parliament this week to tell MEPs about the state of play and the main challenges the operation faces. The word pirates conjures up images of swashbuckling outlaws on the high seas, but the reality is far from romantic. Piracy nowadays involves a well-organised criminal network with carefully prepared attacks on merchant, humanitarian, fishing and leisure vessels in which crews are routinely held hostage, threatened and, in a few dramatic cases, executed. It is a lucrative trade for pirates, causing huge financial losses for shipping companies. EU anti-piracy escorts off Somalia have sunk ships, destroyed weapons, intercepted vessels and thwarted direct attacks. No escorted ship has been successfully attacked by pirates, but vessels should register before crossing the Gulf of Aden, EU Naval Force Commander Rear Admiral Peter D. Hudson told MEPs. MEPs called for more effective protection for European fishing vessels. Source: European Parliament Read more Read more (2) Security and Defence Sub-committee
- Malawi: When disaster strikes
2009-11-30 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Environment, Aid effectiveness
A man desperately reaches for a river bank as flood water pushes him to a likely death in the Lingadzi river in Kasache village close to Lake Malawi. Four rescuers in bright orange life jackets throw him a line in a last frantic attempt to reach him, realising this may be the last opportunity of saving his life. He reaches successfully for the line with his last reserves of energy and is finally pulled out spluttering water from his lungs. This man was actually never in any danger of losing his life, but was taking part in a realistic simulation of a rescue attempt during heavy rains that regularly cause widespread river flooding in this part of Malawi. Here, there is no water, no river. Source: European Commission Read more EU-Malawi relations EC Delegation to Malawi
- Drop in state aid for poor countries in French “Climate Justice” plan
2009-11-30 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Environment, Aid effectiveness
The plan that Paris will put forward during the Copenhagen negotiations sets a figure of €16.5 billion for state aid to help developing countries fight climate change. That is €5 billion short of the minimum advocated by the European Commission. The French plan estimates the overall cost of aid to assist developing countries battling with climate change at around $490 billion over a period of 20 years. The plan is intended for submission to the Copenhagen Climate Conference. Dubbed “the climate justice plan,” it has already received detailed coverage in “Le Monde” and was posted on the Mediapart website on 19 November. The figure refers to the public share of the €100 billion a year the Commission deems necessary to support developing countries. However, the Commission’s proposal was that international public funding should amount to between 22 and 50 a per year. The Franco-Brazilian proposal of 490 billion falls far short of this bracket. Source: Euractiv Read more Read the plan Copenhagen Summit
- Bridging the gap in supply chain standards
2009-11-30 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Archive, ACP-EU Trade
If products are not tracked from their place of origin to their point of sale, there is no way of locating when and how product problems occur. Tracking products throughout their journey to their final destination is essential if we are to ensure worldwide supply and demand chains that deliver excellent-quality products. The three-year BRIDGE ('Building radio frequency identification for the global environment') project received EUR 7.5 million in EU funding to take up this challenge and it delivered exciting new tracking techniques using radio wave technology. Problems with the transport of goods such as delays, contamination or changes in temperature can mean that products are sometimes damaged or degraded when they arrive at their destination, and perishable goods such as food or pharmaceutical products are particularly vulnerable to this. What is needed is a global system where goods are tracked from point of production to point of sale. The Bridge project, the largest of its kind to date, has taken up this challenge by spending three years researching ways to improve the tracking of products in national and international supply and demand chains. Source: European Commission Read more DG Research
- Blair's climate change advisor voices doubts over Copenhagen
2009-11-30 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Environment, Aid effectiveness
The expert who advises Tony Blair on climate change has voiced pessimism about the chances of a legally-binding treaty emerging from next month's UN summit in Copenhagen. Mark Kenber said, however, there was "no reason" why EU leaders and heads of state could not agree on emission-reduction targets and finance to help developing countries deal with global warming. Kenber, policy director at the international business and governmental NGO, the Climate Group, said, "On environmental grounds, the case is clear." He hopes the EU will go beyond its commitment to cutting CO2 emissions by 20% by the end of the next decade. He believes the EU should pledge to cut emissions by 30% by 2020. He also said that 80% of the technology needed to help achieve the targets by 2020 was "already in place". Kenber, who has worked closely with Blair, the former UK prime minister, for the past two years on a joint initiative on climate change, said it was "generally accepted" that a legally-binding deal is unlikely to come out of Copenhagen. Source: The Parliament Read more Copenhagen Summit EU Climate Strategy
- Fish farming seen driving food security
2009-11-30 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Regional Fisheries, Food Security, Aid effectiveness
As global fish stocks continue to plunge, fish farming is seen as a way of contributing to food security. The EU has pledged to increase the competitiveness of European aquafarming to meet a growing appetite for seafood, but policymakers stress that this must go hand-in-hand with farming to restore fish stocks. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that over 70% of the world's fish species are already either fully exploited or depleted. And while the impact of global overfishing is typically measured in environmental and economic terms, depleted fish stocks also threaten the food security of millions of people who are dependent on fish for food. Source: Euractiv Read more EU Fisheries Policy EU Fisheries Agreements
- Bananas: fight against poverty still a priority of the EU strategy?
2009-11-30 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade, Aid effectiveness, Rural development, Food Security
At a time when European leaders are gathering to welcome the dawn of a new era with the coming into force of the Lisbon Treaty, this change may well prove to be more extensive than anticipated. The coming days could spell the end of the era when Europe considered the fight against poverty a priority. In the ongoing discussions on the Banana Dossier, the ACP States have made numerous concessions in an effort towards finding a definitive and balanced solution. In fact, analysis of the European banana market has shown that the customs tariff of €176/t that has been applied to banana imports from Central and South American countries (MFN countries) since January 2006, has sharply increased their presence on the EU market. There is no risk whatsoever, not now nor in the future, given the limited production capacity of the ACP countries that the European market will be “flooded” with ACP bananas. Just one MFN country, like Ecuador for example, could, single-handedly, if it so desired, supply the entire 27-country EU market which, let us not forget, is the only possible trade opening for ACP products. Source: ACP Secretariat Read more ACP-EU Banana agreements Lisbon Treaty
- President Barroso unveils his new team
2009-11-30
José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, today announced the portfolios responsibilities for the next Commission. The President has held detailed consultations with all the Commissioners-designate in order to assign the right jobs to the right people. The President believes that this team can deliver the agenda for change he set out in the political guidelines he presented in September, following his nomination by all 27 Member States and before his approval as President of the next Commission by the European Parliament. The new College will have 7 Vice-Presidents, including Vice-President Baroness Catherine Ashton who will, at the same time, be the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on 1 December next. Three of the Vice-Presidents will be women. The new College will have 27 members, including President Barroso, one from each Member State. It includes 9 women. The members of the College come from different political families, notably the European People's Party (EPP), the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE). 14 members, including the President, were already members of the outgoing College. Source: European Commission Read more Lisbon Treaty
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NOTE If you have questions or suggestions, please write to us at : boto@cta.int For more information on the full range of CTA activities please go to http://www.cta.int/ More information on CTA activities in Brussels at : http://brussels.cta.int/ CTA is an institution of the ACP Group of States (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) and the EU (European Union), in the framework of the Cotonou Agreement and is financed by the EU. Copyright © 2009 Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU. Email:cta@cta.int The opinions expressed in the comments and analysis are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of CTA. You are currently subscribed to the CTA Brussels Newsletter.
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