The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Florin-Ionuț Barbu, participated in the AgriFish Council in Luxembourg.

Among the important points on the agenda was the approval of a set of conclusions regarding the future of agriculture in the EU.

During a public session, the Belgian presidency provided updated information on the four ongoing legislative dossiers. These include proposals for regulations concerning plant reproductive material, forest reproductive material, the need for a framework for forest monitoring, and the protection of animals during transport.

Also in the public session, the Commission presented the communication on the current state of sustainable fishing in the EU and the guidelines for establishing fishing opportunities for 2025. Fisheries ministers subsequently had the opportunity to express their views on this topic and highlight their priorities.

Romania brought to the Commission's attention the issue of eligibility for the purchase of breeding animals under the CAP strategic plans, considering the downward trend in animal stocks.

In this context, Romania considers the purchase of breeding animals essential, as this deficit also affects the plant sector, whose profitability decreases in the absence of livestock production.

The interdependence between the plant and livestock sectors, especially in the current geopolitical context, requires aligning the capacity of both sectors, and in this regard, the eligibility of expenditures for the purchase of animals under the EAFRD is requested.

Additionally, Romania, along with Bulgaria and Poland, called for the elimination or increase of the individual cap for an enterprise in primary agricultural production within the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework for state aid, as this modification could allow support for all producers affected by the crisis.

Under the "Miscellaneous" item on the agenda, among other topics, the Belgian presidency informed the Council about the results of the symposium it organized on front-of-pack nutritional labeling systems.