Agriculture and Fisheries Council

The Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH) coordinates EU policies in areas relating to agriculture and food production, rural development, animal and plant health, and fisheries management.

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The Agriculture and Fisheries Council shapes EU agriculture and fisheries policy. It works on the common agricultural policy (CAP), market regulation, food safety and health, animal and plant health, and the support to rural areas.

The Council also adopts fisheries legislation and decides on the allocation of fishing opportunities.

A circular chart features segments of leafy greens, seeds and water textures. Fish swim near the circle on a background featuring EU stars.

Areas of work of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council

Food and farming

The Council develops policies and legislation to ensure high-quality and safe food, support farmers and rural development, and promote sustainable farming, in line with the common agricultural policy.

Fisheries

The Council adopts legislation to manage fisheries resources sustainably. Under the common fisheries policy, it regulates fishing and aquaculture activities and sets fishing quotas to safeguard fish stocks.

How the Agriculture and Fisheries Council works

Depending on the agenda, ministers for agriculture or fisheries from all EU member states meet in two different compositions.

Agriculture

The AGRIFISH Council (Agriculture) focuses on the common agricultural policy, farming sustainability, rural development, food safety and animal welfare.

Fisheries

The AGRIFISH Council (Fisheries) focuses on the management of fish stocks, including the setting of annual total allowable catches (TACs) and national fishing quotas.

The Agriculture and Fisheries Council generally meets once a month. The relevant European Commissioners also participate in meetings.

The work of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council is prepared by Coreper I, the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) and several specialised working parties.

In particular, the Special Committee on Agriculture provides technical and policy-level support on agricultural matters, especially concerning the common agricultural policy. It plays a central role in preparing discussions on CAP reforms, agricultural subsidies, and rural development policies, helping align the views of the member states before decisions are made at Council level.

Work programme during the Irish presidency

The Irish presidency supports agriculture and fisheries as key sectors for ensuring food security, strengthening economic competitiveness and sustaining rural and coastal communities.

It aims to work to protect the livelihoods of farming and fishing families and communities while promoting balanced economic, social and environmental sustainability.

The presidency also prioritises food security, competitiveness, simplification, sustainability, and generational renewal to ensure a resilient and future-ready agri-food and fisheries sector.