Hungary pushes for EU-wide vaccination programme
Hungary initiated a discussion of the possibility of a European Union-wide vaccination programme for farm animals at a meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels on Monday.
At a press conference after the meeting, Agriculture Minister István Nagy said such a programme could present a solution to the spread of a number of diseases across Europe, as well as their serious economic consequences. He added that Hungary’s proposal was supported by 24 member states.
EU-wide vaccination strategy
In the proposal, Hungary invited the European Commission to examine and advance its efforts to create a legal framework that allows for a pragmatic, didactic approach regarding the use of vaccination in disease prevention and control.
Hungary also presented information at the meeting on the serious damage caused by frost in its fruit sector and requested that the EC consider exceptional financial support from the agriculture reserve for the affected farmers.
Nagy said a package of proposals, including a number from Hungary, on the simplification of the common agricultural policy (CAP) was a priority point on the agenda at the meeting. Hungary seeks to modify the CAP’s green architecture, reduce the administrative burden for smallholders and broaden the application of risk- and crisis-management tools, he added.
Nagy said Hungary was “firmly opposed” to allowing the General Affairs Council, rather than the Agriculture and Fisheries Council, to decide on matters concerning the future of the CAP. He added that EU farm ministers had earlier unanimously adopted a position on a separate budget for the CAP in future, as well as area-based subsidies and support for investments and rural development.
If an EU exemption on quotas and tariffs for farm products from Ukraine is extended, Nagy said a separate agreement was needed to protect farmers in neighbouring countries, such as Hungary.
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