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Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Agrarian Policy and Food Markian Dmytrasevych, who participated in the meeting of the EP Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) on 25/10/2022 via video call, asked for help in securing diesel generator sets for Ukraine, which is struggling with electricity blackouts energy because of Russian military attacks on infrastructure. According to him, Russia uses food, food security and energy as weapons. He also emphasized the need to extend the agreement on grain and food exports from Black Sea ports beyond 11/16/2022. The request for aggregates and help with securing seeds for spring sowing was also forwarded to the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Janusz Wojciechowski.

The European Commission processed the contributions of the Member States to the consultation of 05/10/2022 regarding the extension and change of the temporary crisis framework for state aid in connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Based on the responses, the Commission sent a follow-up consultation to the Member States on 26/10/2022 for a targeted adjustment of the framework expanding the possibility for Member States to provide public guarantees to energy companies to cover financial guarantees for their business activities regarding market prices and volatility; and to an additional adjustment allowing Member States more flexibility in supporting companies affected by high energy prices.
More information is available here.

On 18/10/2022, the European Commission presented new proposals aimed at combating high energy prices and ensuring security of supply to address high gas prices in the EU and ensure security of supply during the coming winter period. According to the Commission, this should be achieved "through joint gas purchases, price capping mechanisms on the TTF gas exchange, new measures related to the transparent use of infrastructure, solidarity between Member States and continuous efforts to reduce gas demand". The European Commission will also assess the needs of the REPowerEU plan to accelerate the transition to clean energy and prevent the fragmentation of the single market, to this end it will present proposals to strengthen the EU's financial capacity for REPowerEU.
More information is available here and here.

Ministers of Agriculture met on 17-18/10/2022 within the Council of Ministers to discuss several topics, including trade agreements with the Mercosur countries, the situation in Ukraine, the availability of fertilizers for the agricultural sector, fishing quotas and the proposal to introduce a European-wide ban on the killing of one-day male chicks. Ministers reached a political agreement on fishing rights in the Baltic Sea for 2023, including quotas for allowable catches and quotas for individual Member States. Ministers also provided guidance to the Commission to prepare the EU's position ahead of this year's annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. Ministers also noted that the prices of key agricultural products and inputs have risen significantly in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, the energy crisis and the disruption of gas supplies from Russia. Ministers called for the approval of other EU measures, including the extension of state aid and higher ceilings for state aid. National delegations also emphasized rising costs in the agri-food sector. Almost all sectors of livestock production are therefore experiencing a reduction in production, which may have a negative impact on European self-sufficiency.
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On 19/10/2022, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Janusz Wojciechowski, met with representatives of European fertilizer producers Fertilizers Europe on the upcoming communication of the European Commission on fertilizers. The communication should be presented on 09/11/2022, it should aim to solve the problems caused by the war in Ukraine, which led to a sharp increase in energy prices and interruption of supplies of key inputs, which was reflected in a sharp increase in fertilizer prices. Commissioner asked industry representatives for proposals and consultations regarding the Commission's forthcoming communication. European Commission also asked Member States for the same consultation, they could communicate their suggestions to the Commission during the meeting of the Council of Ministers of Agriculture on 17/10/2022.
More information is available here.