Brussels, 27/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - European Commission proposals on measures for the milk and dairy products sector “respond to our calls to improve farmers' positioning in the food chain, to enable them to get a fair revenue from the market and to let them get a better price for their produce,” said Pekka Pesonen, Secretary-General of Copa (Committee of EU Professional Agricultural Organisations) and Cogeca (General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives in the EU).
In December, the Commission is due to adopt a package of measures following up on the recommendations by the high-level expert group on long-term measures for the dairy sector in Europe. A provisional version of the text has leaked out (EUROPE will return to this). The agricultural organisations have also welcomed the Commission's approach on contracts between farmers and processors, which are to be voluntary. “This will give producers more stability and help strengthen their positioning in the food chain.” The proposals remain incomplete as they do not include Community measures to manage the market, Pesonen said. (L.C./transl.rt)