The Bill was presented by State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Jelena Blagojevic. She said that the International Grains Council (IGC) is an intergovernmental organisation whose purpose is to promote international cooperation in grain trade, expand promotion, openness and fairness in the grain sector, as well as contribute to the stability of the grain market and improve world food security. These goals are pursued through the improvement of market transparency by an exchange of information, analysis and consultation on the market and development policies. About 56 countries are members of this organisation. Market conditions for cereals, rice and oilseeds are monitored on a daily basis, through the circulation of daily reports and the maintenance of internet information services, and the Council formally exchanges information on market conditions at board and Council meetings. The annual IGC Cereals Conference is a public discussion forum and an opportunity to bring international buyers and sellers, industry representatives and policy makers together in one place.

Market information on cereals, rice and oilseeds is available on the public website and by subscription. Specifically, the Grain and Oilseeds Index (GOI) is available daily through the public IGC website, along with supply and demand balances and forecasts for a range of countries and commodities. Detailed market comments, analyses and statistics are provided by IGC by subscription to weekly or monthly reports and data services. The IGC also provides daily export price quotations and market reports, along with access to its extensive databases, to member governments. In October 2012, the IGC joined the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) Secretariat. The initiative was established at the request of the G20 Agriculture Ministers. It covers four crops (wheat, maize, rice and soybeans) and aims to promote food market transparency and coordination of policy activities in response to market uncertainty.

The IGC holds two regular Council sessions each year, either in London or, on invitation, in member countries. Its functions are to monitor the implementation of the Grain Trade Convention, 1995, discuss current and future developments on the grain market, as well as monitor changes in national cereal policy and their market implications.

The objectives of this Convention are to promote international cooperation in all aspects of grain trade, especially if they affect the situation concerning cereals used for human consumption, to promote the expansion of international trade in cereals and to ensure the freest possible trade, including the removal of barriers to trade and unfair and discriminatory practices in the interest of all members, especially developing countries, to enable the greatest possible contribution to the stability of international grain markets, in the interest of all members, to improve world food security and contribute to the development of countries whose economies are heavily dependent on commercial grain sales, as well as provide a forum for exchanging information and discussing the reasons for the members' concerns about the grain trade.

After the presentation, the Committee accepted the Bill on the Confirmation of the Grain Trade Convention, 1995, submitted by the Government, and selected Committee Chairman Marijan Risticevic as the rapporteur to the National Assembly sitting.

As item two on the agenda, at the suggestion of member Veroljub Matic, the Committee considered possible amendments to the Decree on the distribution of incentives in agriculture and rural development in 2021, to Article 9, relating to the Macva and Srem administrative districts and adopted a Conclusion to be forwarded to the Ministry.

The Committee also considered the insistence for the payment of arrears in agricultural incentives, as well as the unhindered payment of incentives due, and adopted a Conclusion on that issue.

The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairman Marijan Risticevic and attended by the following members and deputy members: Momir Stojilkovic, Jelisaveta Veljkovic, Olja Petrovic, Nenad Filipovic, Milija Miletic, Stanislava Janosevic, Dr Ljubinko Rakonjac, Nikola Kozovic, Dijana Radovic, Sonja Todorovic, Veroljub Mitrovic, Tijana Davidovac, Zarko Bogatinovic and Velibor Stanojlovic.