The Main priorities of the Czech Presidency in the Agricultural Sector

CZ PRES strives to further enhance sustainability in agriculture, biodiversity conservation, development of sustainable farming and climate protection.

CZ PRES strives to ensure that the specificities of individual EU Member States are adequately taken into account.

CZ PRES addresses the gradual transition to a climate-neutral and sustainable economy with minimal negative environmental impacts, while maintaining the competitiveness of European agriculture, food production, forestry, fisheries.

During CZ PRES, an extensive revision of existing EU legislation is underway.

The Main priorities of the Czech Presidency in the Agricultural Sector:

1. Food Security

CZ PRES supports steps leading to sustainable agricultural and food production in the EU and in the world, and specific procedures for the production of a sufficient amount of quality and safe food.

CZ PRES also deals with the impacts of Russian aggression against Ukraine on food security in the context of the situation on commodity markets.

2. Reducing the Use of Pesticides in the EU

CZ PRES discusses draft Regulation on the sustainable use of pesticides.

3. Prevention of Deforestation and Support of Forestry

CZ PRES monitors and, where appropriate, discusses progress in the implementation of the New EU Forest Strategy 2030 in order to balance the social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainable forest management and the respect for principles of subsidiarity and proportionality.

CZ PRES follows up on the adopted general approach on the legislative proposal on deforestation and start trilogues with the European Parliament.

CZ PRES wants to contribute in global forums to the protection of the world’s forests and the building of sustainable consumption chains unencumbered by deforestation and forest degradation.

Other Priorities of the Czech Presidency in the Agricultural Sector:

Marine Fisheries and Aquaculture

CZ PRES emphasises the increasing role of both marine and, above all, freshwater aquaculture products as a full-fledged substitute for marine fisheries products.

The main objective of CZ PRES in this area is to reach political agreements in the development and revision of EU and international agreements on the fixing of fishing opportunities in EU and third country waters.

Labelling and Geographical Indications of Foodstuffs

As part of rural development and the empowerment of producers in the food chain, CZ PRES strives to achieve a common approach to the revision of the rules for the geographical indications for agricultural products.

CZ PRES focuses on the labelling of ingredients in alcoholic beverages, harmonisation of the rules for the new labelling of nutritional information on the front of food packaging, revision of the labelling of durability and expiry dates, extension of country of origin labelling and the establishment of nutritional profiles and leads the discussion on scientific consultations in this area.

CZ PRES also launches a discussion on the revision of the European Union promotion policy for agricultural products inside and outside the EU.

Animal health and Welfare

CZ PRES pay attention the prevention of dangerous animal diseases, ways to minimise the risk of their spread, the exchange of information between Member States and a common EU approach towards third countries.

CZ PRES supports the efforts of the European Commission regarding the ban on the breeding of laying hens in cages in the EU by 2030. At the same time, CZ PRES supports the reduction of the impact of livestock breeding on the environment.

CZ PRES discusses the revision of the regulation on additives used in animal nutrition, in addition, it further supports initiatives for the sustainable use of antimicrobials and combating antimicrobial resistance in veterinary medicine.