The Commission will act by the end of the year to reinforce the dairy sector
During the Conference "What future for Milk?" in Brussels, on the 26th March, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Cioloş confirmed his idea to present, without waiting for the discussions on the future of the CAP after 2013, a legislative package to improve the functioning of the dairy sector. Speaking before over 400 delegates from the dairy supply chain plus political and administrative stakeholders, the Commissioner came back on the very tough crisis of the milk sector last year. "Slowly, we put the situation right thanks to the market measures we used like intervention and private storage, and we must not forget the importance of direct payments in supporting farm income" the Commissioner underlined.
The Commissioner also repeated that the quotas are not a solution for the future of the dairy sector after 2015."In brief, for a new situation, we need new mechanisms that suit to the new conditions and our policy ambitions" he said. M. Cioloş called for a sustainable orientation toward the market, with tools to fight against extreme prices volatility, but not against natural evolution of markets.
Speaking to the journalists after his opening speech, the Commissioner reiterated the need to put forward initiatives to improve the functioning of the dairy sector. "I will take into account the recommendations of the High Level Group on milk in June. We will then have a discussion on the recommendations in the Agriculture Council in July and I hope to be in a position to present a legislative package by the end of the year", he said. "We need immediate and long term measures", he explained.
Replying to questions from journalists on the kind of measures he will propose the Commissioner said he will wait for the recommendations of the High Level Group. "Nothing is excluded for the moment. However, it will not be budgetary measures but regulatory measures".
