Prime Minister Jóannes Eidesgaard meets with UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Ben Bradshaw, MP in London.

On Monday, 24 April 2006, Prime Minister Jóannes Eidesgaard met in London with the Honourable Ben Bradshaw, MP, who serves as the UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare.
At the meeting, relations between the Faroes and the EU were discussed. Prime Minister Eidesgaard briefed the Minister on the current debate within the Faroes on relationship with EU. The common fisheries policy of the EU is still deemed to be the greatest obstacle to be overcome before the Faroes would seriously consider membership in the EU.
Under-Secretary Bradshaw explained that the measures adopted in connection with the common EU fisheries policy, which entered into force in 2003, have not been in operation sufficiently long enough to make any conclusive statements about the consequences of the policy.

They also discussed the precautions the two countries have implemented against the advance of avian flu. In Britain, there has been one incident of avian flu and the Under-Secretary was very satisfied with how the safety measures had worked. The Prime Minister pointed out that it augured well for the Faroes that our neighbours as well take seriously the defensive measures necessary to guard against the spread of bird flu. So far, no incident of avian flu has been reported in the Faroes.