EU: Extraordinary measures for the dairy sector, pigs and fruit and vegetables

Brussels has agreed to implement a mechanism for voluntary reduction of milk production, doubling intervention buying skimmed milk powder and butter at fixed price. In pigs, agreed to introduce private storage of pigmeat again and fruits and vegetables, exceptional measures adopted on the occasion of the Russian veto is extended for another year. The EC will increase the limit of aid Member States may grant to agricultural and livestock farms under the regime “de minimis”.

These measures have been positively assessed by the Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Isabel García Tejerina, which are the result of requests that several Member States, including Spain, have moved to the Commission, given the difficulty of the situation They crossing the sectors.

The measures announced by the Commission contain the main requests contained in document transferred by Spain to the Dutch Presidency. In particular for the dairy sector, the Commission is committed to implement a mechanism for voluntary reduction of production, under the so-called “Article 222” of the rules of the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets, which will allow producer organizations , cooperatives or interprofessional, take concerted action to reduce production decisions.

In addition, the Commission has proposed doubling intervention buying skimmed milk powder and butter at fixed price, so that the new thresholds will be set at 218,000 tonnes for skimmed milk powder and 100,000 tonnes for butter.

Similarly, is committed to a High Level Group cooperate jointly with the Task Force on agricultural markets established by the Commission in 2016, in order to make a more specific on the situation in the dairy sector analysis, with a view to proposing measures to medium and long term.

Pig sector

As regards the pig sector, the Commission is committed to introduce private storage of pigmeat again when the most appropriate market conditions for its implementation are given and also to implement a market observatory, as the It is operating in the dairy sector.

For the pig sector and the dairy sector, the amounts for promotion in the European Union and third countries adopted in 2015 (€ 30 million) increased by € 30 million for these two sectors.

The Commission has also shown its commitment to intensify work to achieve the opening of new markets for EU exports, especially those sectors that are in difficulty. In this context, it is committed to intensify contacts with Russia to lift the embargo on EU exports. As a complement, the Commission will study the feasibility of implementing instruments of export support in the form of export credits.

Fruits and vegetables

The Commission is committed to extend for one year the exceptional measures adopted on the occasion of the Russian veto, whose implementation was scheduled to conclude on 30 June. Thus the sector may benefit during a year of exceptional aid.

Moreover, the Commission is committed to study the Spanish request for withdrawal prices increase in fruit and vegetables.

Finally, the Commission is committed to increase the limit of aid Member States may grant to agricultural and livestock farms under the regime “de minimis”. It has also agreed to explore with Member States the way in which they can better use their rural development programs to support ailing industries and to increase the use of financial instruments in the agricultural sector with the support of the European Bank Investment.

Finally the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment has requested that the Council next April, monitor the implementation of these measures and the market situation, so will make your application concrete or further action if necessary.

Source: MAGRAMA