At the informal ministerial meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council, to be held on 27 May at Brdo near Kranj, the Commission will present its legislative proposals to the Member States. On this occasion, the ministers will open the second stage of the debate on the basis of the legislative proposals with the aim of adopting them by the end of 2008. The informal meeting also provides an opportunity to look at the CAP in the wider context and to concentrate on existing and emerging challenges. The Slovenian Presidency has, accordingly, drawn up a Presidency paper as a basis for the debate. In this document, the Presidency highlights climate change, biofuels, environmental protection, risk management in agriculture, and food safety.

At the meeting a set of pertinent questions will be raised: “How will agriculture adapt to these challenges? How to ensure more high quality food at reasonable prices for a growing world population, and at the same time enhance biodiversity, preserve cultural landscape and protect natural resources like water, air and soil? To what extent could adjustments of the CAP in the context of the »Health Check«, already contribute to resolving these issues?" The meeting presents the Slovenian agricultural sector with an exceptional opportunity- and a challenge - to raise its public profile throughout Europe and the world.

In tandem with the informal meeting of the Agriculture Ministers, Slovenia will also host a formal meeting of the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) in May 2008. The SCA is a professional and political body which prepares proposals for decisions to be discussed by the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers. The meeting will focus on the presentation of environmental impact assessment accompanying legislative proposals in the context of the review of the CAP reform. In accordance with EU efforts for better regulation, every legislative instrument must be accompanied by an impact assessment to evaluate the impact of the proposed solutions on the issue or area concerned.