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/

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

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.