Agriculture and fisheries

Stocks of Atlantic bluefin tuna have dropped dramatically since the 1990s. This week MEPs voted in favour of measures that include further reducing fishing quotas and strengthening controls over bluefin tuna fishing in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Spanish Green MEP Raül Romeva i Rueda says tuna sanctuaries could be the answer in his report that was adopted by MEPs on 23 May 2012.

Cocoa is not only essential to creating delicious chocolate, but it is also a commodity millions of people depend upon for their income. The European Parliament will vote this week on the 2010 International Cocoa Agreement which aims to improve market transparency and strengthen co-operation between exporting and importing countries. MEPs will also vote on a separate resolution to condemn the use of child labour for cocoa production.

MEPs will be battling it out this afternoon over a controversial EU agreement with Morocco to liberalise trade in agriculture and fisheries. Supporters praise it as a chance to strengthen relations and stimulate the economy, but critics have dismissed it as a threat to small farmers. As MEPs prepare to debate it today and vote on it on Thursday, we gave two members on opposite sides of the issue the chance to explain why they feel so strongly about it.

History and budget merge in the Common Agricultural Policy, making it one of the most important action plans for the EU. The discussion about the future CAP is not only crucial for farmers but for all European citizens, since it deals with the challenge of food security, Agriculture Committee Chair Paolo De Castro said as negotiations start on a new EU farm policy for 2014-2020.

Agricultural spending accounts for 41% of the European Union's annual budget and has been at the heart of EU policy since the very start of the European project. As the European Parliament, European Commission and member states begin to haggle over the EU's long-term budget, we look into the role of the Common Agricultural Policy in the so-called Multiannual Financial Framework for 2014-2020.

Illegal fishing distorts trade, hurts efforts to rebuild depleted stocks and conserve species and will have a long-term impact on the environment and food security, the Fisheries Committee warned Tuesday. An estimated 11-26 million tonnes of fish a year, representing 15% of global catches, comes from illegal fishing. The committee calls on the EU to promote global action, including more inspections at sea and closing markets to illegal fisheries products.

Public health officials have long warned of the dangers of the over-use of antibiotics in humans. The same applies to animals, and since the increase this overuse produces in antimicrobial resistance, known as AMR, is identical in humans and animals, a resolution drafted by Agriculture Committee Chair Paolo de Castro calls for better research and analysis of the impact and more prudent use of antimicrobials in animals.

The common agricultural policy of the EU has to better respond to the expectations of the society, if it is not to lose its credibility, European Farm Commissioner Dacian Cioloş warned when presenting his proposals on CAP reform to MEPs 18 November. Members of Parliament's agriculture committee broadly supported the plan to strengthen competitiveness, while focusing on sustainability.

What would happen if farmers could no longer afford to feed their animals? With EU cereal prices at a two-year high due to bad weather and speculation we could face a significant drop in meat production. On Thursday MEPs debated what action the EU can take with Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Cioloș and adopted a resolution calling on the Commission to ensure that the impact of speculation across the agricultural sector will be limited.