Brussels, 09/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - European farm ministers will be meeting in Brussels on Monday 12 July to discuss the seven recommendations on milk and dairy products issued by the high-level group of experts on dairy on 15 June. EU member states will also discuss the planned extension of Germany's monopoly over alcohol sales. The Belgian Presidency of the Council of EU Ministers will present its work programme for the second half of 2010 on farm and fisheries issues.
The Agriculture and Fisheries Council will start on Monday at 10.00am and is expected to end shortly before 2.00pm. It will be chaired by Sabine Laruelle, Belgium's federal farm minister. Kris Peeters, the minister-president of the Belgian region of Flanders with responsibly for fisheries, will sit next to Laruelle and present the Belgian Presidency's priorities.
Milk and dairy products. The EU's farm ministers will discuss how to change the organisation of the dairy industry to remedy the imbalance in power between milk farmers and the industry. They will focus on the two most controversial recommendations set out by the high-level expert group (see details in EUROPE 10164), the first of which covers contracts between dairy farmers and dairies for the delivery of fresh milk. The experts suggest that on a voluntary basis, formal written contracts could be drawn up in advance, setting out the price to be paid, the volume of milk to be delivered and delivery deadlines during the season, along with the duration of the contract. The second controversial recommendation is that dairy farmers should have grater collective bargaining powers and should negotiate milk contracts and prices collectively.
Germany's monopoly on sales of alcohol. At the most recent SCA (Special Committee on Agriculture) that took place on 5 July, several countries of the EU, including Italy, the United Kingdom, Estonia, Latvia and the Netherlands, expressed reservations about the Commission's plan to extend the exemptions to EU state aid rules that allow Germany to wield a monopoly over alcohol sales (Branntweinmonopol). The Commission is planning to extend the monopoly into next year and then to phase it out by 2014. The state monopoly uses the proceeds of its alcohol purchases to subsidise farm distilleries. The transition period under consideration would be longer (until the end of 2017) for small distilleries.
Belgian priorities. The two big issues to be the focus of attention during the Belgian Presidency are the future of the common agricultural policy (CAP) after 2013 and the milk and dairy industry (see EUROPE 10172 on Belgium's priorities for farming and fisheries). Other issues include a farm product quality policy, providing food aid to the poorest people in the EU, remote regions, cutting red tape, adjusting rules in line with the Lisbon Treaty and the farm advisory system. In the field of veterinary, food safety and plant health policy, the ministers will discuss the roadmap for tackling transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE), genetically modified organisms (an issue that will also be discussed by EU environment minister) and animal health strategy.
At the end of the meeting, Lithuania will ask for a change to the rules to make it possible to pay out up to 80% of direct EU farm aid for 2010 ahead of schedule. (L.C./transl.fl)