1. Market situation.
2. Export refunds.
3. Amendment on pig carcase grading methods in France.
4. Authorisation of pig carcase grading methods in Lithuania.
5. Any other business.

A note from the German delegation on the situation on the pig market, with a view to the AGRI Council meeting on 18 February 2008:

"The situation on the pig market remains very difficult, both for pig farmers and, in particular, for piglet producers. This is due to the persistently low prices for pigmeat and piglets and to high feed costs resulting from increased cereal prices.

In the medium and long term, only the market can effect a fundamental improvement in this situation. This is a challenge first and foremost for the market operators. A reduction in the supply of slaughter pigs is also required. The discernible reduction in breeding sows is an important step in this direction.

However, until the market begins to show a positive response, further bridging measures are required. Otherwise promising structures needed for a successful presence on international markets over the long term would collapse. In Germany the price paid to producers for pigmeat has remained virtually unchanged over a long period. So while it was possible to weather the usual the seasonal difficulties on the market in the first weeks of the new year without a fall in prices, producers are still receiving too little.

In order to stabilise the difficult situation on the pig market, about 100 000 tons of pigmeat for the entire EU, including roughly 13 000 tons in Germany, were temporarily withdrawn from the market and put into private storage up to the end of the year. Furthermore, at the end of November export refunds were approved for unprocessed pigmeat".