Summary: 10 November 2008, Brussels – Council of the European Union, 2902nd GENERAL AFFAIRS Council meeting, Conclusions on the EU response to the food crisis
The Council adopted the following conclusions:
"1. The European Union reaffirms its concern about the world food crisis and reiterates its firm commitment to help developing countries which are the main victims of its negative impact.
2. It has already outlined a collective response to this challenge1 and took initial steps to meet the most urgent needs.
3. Thus, the Commission undertook to allocate 800 million euros in 2008 and 2009, notably through food aid, emergency aid and redeployment of funds. In this regard, the Council welcomes the recent release of 200 million euros through the European Development Fund as a response to the food crisis in ACP countries. Member States have made significant national contributions in response to the food crisis, including important increases in their voluntary contributions to the World Food Programme, bringing the European Union contribution to the World Food Programme to nearly 700 million euros2.
4. In order to have a lasting impact on the food producing capacity of family farms most affected by the crisis, particularly those run by women, it is necessary to make the EU response more operational and to adapt it to the changing needs of developing countries.
5. The Council recognizes the need to continue taking immediate actions to help the populations most affected and vulnerable, to safeguard the next years’ harvests by supporting agricultural production ahead of the upcoming campaigns, to address the structural causes of the crisis in order to boost food producing agriculture in a sustainable way and to ensure that developing countries are less vulnerable to the volatility in food prices, which harms the poorest. Developing countries are encouraged to address these challenges resolutely and to place agriculture higher on their policy agenda.
6. The current food crisis requires a joint response, coherent and coordinated by the international community, in synergy with civil society and the private sector. The EU promotes a Global Partnership for Agriculture and Food, as stated in the EU Action agenda for the MDGs, which was welcomed by the June 2008 European Council.
7. The EU’s effort, as part of a concerted strategy, will be coordinated with ongoing work of the UN Task Force and the international expert groups. The EU commits itself to support, if necessary, the Task Force, which represents an important progress for international coordination. The Council calls for a satisfactory conclusion of the replenishment process of the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
8. The Council welcomes the ongoing reform process of FAO, conducted in a constructive manner by all member countries of the organization within the Conference Committee. The Council hopes that the upcoming special session of the FAO Conference will adopt the immediate action plan for FAO renewal approved on 13 October by the Conference Committee. It is a fundamental tool to initiate a thorough transformation of the FAO that will allow it in particular to play its full part in the implementation the global partnership for food and agriculture, in the framework of the international agriculture roman pole, with the WFP and IFAD.
9. A comprehensive response taking into account the specific situations, policies and strategies of developing countries, to which the EU is determined to contribute to, should aim at:
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