News

The EU’s dairy sector has raised concerns over the implementation of cheese tariff-rate-quotas (TRQs) under the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), with the trade deal set to provisionally enter into force on September 21. Within weeks from the implementation of the trade pillar of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, the European Dairy Association expresses its concerns regarding the management of the cheese TRQs which would jeopardise the spirit of the CETA and limit the access of EU cheeses to the Canadian market. Read more.

Innovative fertilisers produced from organic or recycled materials will have easier access to the EU single market, under draft rules put to the vote on Thursday (13 July). It is expected to be voted by the full House in the 2-5 October plenary session, before the start of negotiations with EU ministers. The Council (member states) has yet to agree on a position on this file. Read more.

EU countries that cut down forests should plant new trees or improve the management of existing woodland, the European Parliament’s Environment Committee (ComEnvi) has said by adopting a draft report on so-called land-use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF). Read more.

A new EU sugar market observatory was launched on 11 July with a first meeting of EU sugar experts and officials from the Commission's agriculture and rural development department. Sugar is the latest product to benefit from an observatory, following milk and meat; a fourth observatory, covering crops, will be launched soon. The website of the EU Sugar Market Observatory is available here.

The environment committee votes Tuesday (11 July) on plans to make EU countries plant more forest to compensate for changes in land use. The Internal market committee votes Thursday (13 July) on proposals to promote organic and waste-based fertilisers as well as set limits on how much heavy metals such as cadmium they can contain.