The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Anton Refalo together with the Parliamentary Secretary Alicia Bugeja Said attended the European Council of Ministers for Agriculture and Fisheries held in Luxembourg. Discussions highlighted the situation on international markets as well as rising food prices especially against the background of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
In this context, Minister Anton Refalo expressed his concern about how Maltese and Gozitan farmers are facing rising prices for fertilizers, agricultural equipment, and feed. Malta has also expressed concern about a number of worrying factors in world food supply such as drought problems, export restriction measures and harvest delays in several countries. Malta therefore reiterated that this situation is making the supply of Ukrainian supplies increasingly crucial.
Among the discussions was also the report published by the European Commission on the application of European animal health, environmental and welfare standards to food products imported from third countries. On this point, Malta agreed with the promotion and improvement of European standards throughout the food chain on products imported from third countries because it believes that this will not only improve the quality and safety of food. -imported products, but also improve the conditions of production animals leading to a positive outcome for the health of European consumers.
Minister Anton Refalo said that both multilateral and bilateral trade agreements could continue to be the most effective instruments that are already achieving positive results in strengthening environmental standards in third countries. However, in this context Malta has expressed that this process must be done in a balanced way because we must also safeguard the competitiveness of European producers from a disadvantaged competitive position, while maintaining the production and supply necessary to guarantee food security.
In the field of fisheries, the Council of Ministers discussed the communication published by the European Commission on the state of the fisheries sector and the sustainability of the fish stock in European waters. The discussion of this report in the Council has started the process of setting fishing quotas later this year. During her speech, Parliamentary Secretary Alicia Bugeja Said emphasized that small-scale and artisanal fishermen should be kept at the center of such communication.
Parliamentary Secretary Bugeja Said stressed that more work needs to be done to achieve a level playing field in the Mediterranean as Mediterranean fish stocks are all shared with third countries.
Finally, Malta stressed the importance of discussions and possibly consequent changes in quotas and fishing capacities for Atlantic tuna species, especially in view of the fact that scientific advice is expected to be published this year. so that fishermen can enjoy the fruits of their sacrifices over the years.
