Agriculture and Fisheries Council

12 July 2010
10:00

The Agriculture and Fisheries Council is one of the Council’s oldest configurations. The composition of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council depends on the agenda. Alongside the eleven formal meetings every year, an informal meeting of the Agriculture Ministers is held every six months in the Member State chairing the European Council. The Fisheries Ministers may also come together for an informal meeting.

The 3026th session of the Council of the European Union - AGRICULTURE and FISHERIES will take place on Monday 12 July (10.00) in the Justus Lipsius building, in Brussels, under the presidency of Ms Sabine Laruelle, Minister for the Agriculture of Belgium.

The following points will be discussed at this session:

Work programme of the Presidency (Agriculture and Fisheries) Presentation by the Presidency (public debate)
Report of the high level group on milk Presentation by the Commission and exchange of views
German alcohol monopoly Report from the Commission
Proposal for a Regulation as regard the aid granted in the framework of this monopoly Presentation by the Commission and exchange of views

The presidency will hold a press conference at the end of the meeting.

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Councils: Agriculture and Fisheries

Where

Justus Lipsius, Rue de la Loi 175, 1000 Brussels

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Decision-making process

Council of the EU:
The Council decides

The Council decides on legislative proposals. This takes place in accordance with normal legislative procedure, in consultation with the European Parliament. The Council meets in various configurations. There have been ten council configurations since the Treaty of Lisbon came into effect. Each council configuration deals with a number of fixed areas and is comprised of the authorised national ministers. Every minister in the Council is authorised to enter into agreements on behalf of their government. Each council configuration – except for the Foreign Affairs Council, which is chaired by the High Representative – is chaired by the member state currently presiding over the rotating six month role.
European Parliament:
The European Parliament decides

The European Parliament has various commissions. They prepare the contents of the recommendations for the legislative proposals. The European Parliament, together with the Council, accepts legislative proposals from the European Commission. Since the Treaty of Lisbon came into effect, the procedure whereby both institutions decide on the vast majority of the areas on an equal footing (normal legislative procedure) has been applicable. In this normal legislative procedure, both institutions must approve the legislative proposal in question. The European Parliament can accept, reject or change the content of legislative proposals.
Council working groups and the COREPER:
The council working groups and the COREPER prepare

The council working groups and the Permanent Representatives Committee prepare the Council activities. They attempt to prepare the ground as much as possible for a compromise. There is therefore a long and intensive preparation before every Council meeting. The member state chairing the Council presides over the Coreper and the bulk of the council working groups.
European Commission:
The European Commission draws up new legislative proposals

The European Commission draws up legislative proposals that it presents to the Parliament and the Council. These proposals must protect the interests of the EU as a whole. The Commission is comprised of 27 members. Each member state therefore nominates one member. The College of Commissioners meets every week on Wednesday mornings in Brussels. In these meetings they discuss each point on the agenda and then make a collective decision. Each member of the Commission can request a vote. The European Commission decides by normal majority.

Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

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