(L-R) Martine Hansen, Luxembourg's Minister for Agriculture, Food and Viticulture; Anton Refalo, Malta's Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights;
Credit: European Union
On Monday 14 July 2025, Luxembourg’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and Viticulture, Martine Hansen, took part in the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels, Belgium.
Speaking on the state of agricultural markets, Minister Hansen highlighted: "In Luxembourg, the beef sector remains impacted by bluetongue, and supply is struggling to meet demand, particularly in our quality chains. We must combine our efforts to protect the health of our livestock."
In response to the reappearance of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in parts of the EU, Minister Hansen urged the European Commission to coordinate vaccine distribution to all affected countries, stressing that the "consequences of these diseases are harmful for the regions concerned. We must not leave them alone."
On cereals, she noted that winter grain margins are expected to be modest this year. "We must work towards our strategic independence with regard to inputs, particularly fertilisers," she emphasised. The minister expressed her support for the European Commission's proposal to authorise the use of "RENURE" technologies, which recycle nitrogen and phosphorus from livestock manure.
Minister Hansen also reiterated the "urgent need" to finalise the EU's "wine package" in order to send a positive signal to winegrowers and support their access to new markets.
Moreover, the Council discussed the recently revised trade agreement with Ukraine. Minister Hansen welcomed the conditional nature of the agreement, which is tied to Ukraine's gradual alignment with EU production standards. She insisted that this alignment principle must apply to all EU trade agreements.
During a debate on the EU's protein strategy, Minister Hansen recalled that Luxembourg's agriculture is based on the development of meadows and pastures and the production of meat and milk, with grass as the primary source of protein for animal feed.
However, she said the profitability of protein crops must be improved. The minister called for a supportive innovation framework backed by adequate resources. She urged the EU to reassess regulatory constraints, notably calling for a major simplification of rules such as those in the EU's deforestation regulation.
