FOOD SAFETY POLICY, VETERINARY AND PLANT PROTECTION

"The meeting of public and civil collaboration in the process of Turkey-EU negotiation" in which the policy of food safety, veterinary and plant protection was discussed, was held at Ankara Swissotel.

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Areas Mehdi Eker participated the meeting and Bagis thanked Eker for being host for this meeting related to the Food Protection Chapter, the chapter which was the most technical one and, considering the closing criteria, which require collaboration the most.

Minister Bagis said that "Turkey has strived to reach EU standards with all of its people, civil society, local administrations and media."

Pointing out that the meeting was the indicator of acquiring the EU Standards of Turkey, Bagis said progress was achieved in each chapter of Turkey's Progress Report and added "It is an indicator that Turkey is on the right way."

Bagis said “We opened that chapter despite the obstacles and problems revealing in the last minute . We didn’t get stubborn, worked with patience and determination under the instructions of our Prime Minister and handled a set of things that were indicated as if they had taken part in the opening criteria although they hadn’t.”

Mentioning that Competition Chapter, which is worked on, was a technical and difficult chapter, Bagis emphasized that all of the six opening criteria were fulfilled.

Source: AA