Meeting the Ministers - Main contents
Earlier this week I attended an Informal EU Agriculture Council in the Netherlands, hosted by the Dutch EU Presidency, and on Tuesday I flew to China to attend the G20 Agriculture Ministerial.
I was very happy to be back in China to build on the positive relationship I have established with the Chinese authorities following my successful visit in April with an EU Agri-business delegation.
EU agri-food exports to China are very healthy - up 33% year on year, rising to the current total of to 10.3 Billion Euro per annum. Chinese consumers increasingly demand quality and traceability from farm to fork, and European producers are delivering on that demand.
As proof of our strengthening relationship, I was delighted to learn from Chinese Agriculture Minister Han Changfu that China will lift restrictions on bovine imports from Germany, France, the U.K. and Denmark. This is great news for our exporting producers and further evidence of the value of close trade cooperation with our global partners.
At the G20 Ministerial, I spoke at an event on Agricultural Entrepreneurship, focusing on subjects like innovation and precision agriculture , and sustainable private investment in the sector. My full speech is available here.
Meanwhile, at the G20 Ministerial itself, I outlined the importance of international organisations such as this one taking clear leadership roles to tackle the major agri-food challenges of our time. Today, as well as providing food security for our citizens, farmers are also expected to play a role in combating climate change and managing precious resources like soil and water.
The current Chinese G20 Presidency recognises this, and has rightly given a central role to sustainable agricultural development, and to innovation.
The G20 can lead from the front in these policy areas, and I warmly welcome the Chinese Presidency's strong commitment to innovation, research and the use of ICT. My full speech to the G20 here.
With Japanese Agriculture Minister Moriyama
Attending a tree planting ceremony ahead of the G20 Agriculture Ministerial Session in Xi'an, China
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