According to MADR (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Florin-Ionuț BARBU, participated in the Agriculture and Fisheries Council, which took place in Brussels.

Among the important items on the agenda were aspects highly relevant to agricultural producers in our country, such as:

• Proposals for simplification from the European Commission aimed at reducing burdens for farmers in the EU, aspects concerning the Common Agricultural Policy 2023-2027, and the "From Farm to Fork" strategy.

Based on information from the Belgian presidency and the European Commission, ministers exchanged views on ways to ensure structural and rapid responses to the current crisis facing the agricultural sector.

Under the "Any Other Business" section of the agenda, the presidency provided information on the ministerial conference titled "Biosecurity and Vaccination: Key Tools for Preventing, Controlling, and Eradicating Animal Diseases," which took place in Brussels on January 24, 2024.

Additionally, the Danish delegation provided information on unilateral fishing management measures introduced by the United Kingdom, while the Commission provided ministers with information on the use of the digital CATCH system.

In the "Any Other Business" section of the agenda, the Romanian delegation provided the Commission with information on GAEC 7 and 8, and the Italian delegation will present aspects regarding agriculture, the Common Agricultural Policy, and food sovereignty.

Representatives of Slovakia referred to the challenges faced by farmers and will present farmers' requests for a competitive and resilient agricultural sector.