EPP Agriculture Ministers, chaired by Konstantinos TSIARAS, Co-Chair and Minister for Agricultural Development and Food of Greece, met today in Brussels for an exchange of views and coordination ahead of the forthcoming AGRIFISH Council on 23 February. Discussions focused on key political priorities, with particular emphasis on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and regulatory simplification.  Ministers welcomed EU Commissioner Christophe HANSEN, who provided an update on the state of play of key legislative files. Ministers also reviewed ongoing legislative alignment in the European Parliament to ensure that trilogue responsibilities remain coherent and streamlined. A central focus of the exchange was the forthcoming Food and Feed Safety Simplification Omnibus. Ministers examined how to maintain high standards while reducing unnecessary administrative burdens for farmers, producers and national administrations. With a view to identifying practical and balanced solutions that safeguard food security, discussions also addressed broader simplification priorities in the context of the Environmental Omnibus and the alignment of agricultural and environmental objectives. In this context, ministers underlined the need to prioritise targeted and proportionate simplification across key environmental and agricultural frameworks, including the Nitrates, Water Framework, Birds & Habitats and the Nature Restoration legislation, while maintaining environmental ambition. The simplification of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) was highlighted as a priority to reduce disproportionate burdens on primary producers and SMEs. Ministers also addressed the functioning of the agri-food supply chain, stressing the importance of strengthening farmers’ bargaining power and reinforcing action against unfair commercial practices to ensure fair remuneration for primary producers across the Union. Concluding the meeting, ministers reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Europe’s farmers through predictable rules, reduced bureaucracy, strengthened supply chain fairness and a strong, coherent Common Agricultural Policy capable of delivering competitiveness and sustainability.