Our country is preparing full steam ahead for the EU presidency

By: STA Date: 2024. 02. 14. 10:00

The issue of artificial meat, the fight against food waste and animal welfare topics are also on the agenda of our country’s EU president, which István Nagy discussed in his office with Stzella Kiriakídis, the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety of the European Commission, on Tuesday afternoon.

(Photo: AM/István Fekete)

At the beginning of the meeting, the head of the ministry spoke about the fact that farmers are restless everywhere in Europe, and that we need to give reassuring answers in the current situation. There are matters on the agenda that cause serious debates, and we must provide credible solutions that are acceptable to producers and that can be implemented, leading to a better world.

Animal welfare issues are at the center of social interest, so it is impossible to be indifferent to them

We are also working on the domestic level to take action against the illegal breeding of dogs and cats. An important question to be answered is where the animals can be placed after the detection of an illegal network, since the shelters are full. The central registry system where companion animals are registered throughout the EU is very important in the EU proposals. We also need to find the possibilities of how we can properly transport breeding animals in connection with export. It is important that the same rules apply to animals – and products of animal origin – leaving and entering Europe, he added.

At the meeting, the minister called the fight against food waste a moral duty of our country

He explained that Hungary would like to deal with the issue in the framework of a large international conference in October 2024, gathering good European practices and programs, and at the same time formulating recommendations that have a broad consensus. István Nagy considers it a serious achievement that the level of food waste in Hungarian households has decreased by 27% in 6 years, to which the targeted attitude formation developed by Nébih and the information campaigns contributed to a large extent.

The head of the ministry also drew attention to the fact that our country considers GMO-free agriculture a value to be protected, which is also included in the Basic Law of Hungary

Regarding the new European regulations, our country is expecting a big debate. The issue of artificial meat is also on the agenda of our country’s presidency. In Hungary, the rejection of this product is overwhelming. We see that artificial meat has already been allowed in Singapore, Israel and the United States, but our country wants to strictly regulate production and distribution, added the head of the Ministry of Agriculture.