Brussels, 16/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 16 April, Dacian Ciolos, European Commissioner for Agriculture, launched a new European Milk Market Observatory.
The main milk-producing countries are Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy and Poland, which together represent 70% of EU production. After 30 years under the milk quota regime, which is due to expire on 31 March 2015, the observatory will aim to help the Commission to follow the milk and dairy products market and to help the sector to adapt to its new environment.
The observatory will increase transparency and provide highly specific information about the market, so as to allow the players in the milk supply market to make commercial decisions and the Commission to make political ones, on the basis of the correct information. The European milk market observatory will give the stakeholders in the milk and dairy sector a single online interface, allowing them to access a wide range of gross data. It will also be responsible for following and analysing current and past trends on the EU and global markets for milk and dairy products as well as, amongst other things, production, the balance between supply and demand, production costs and market perspectives.
Economic board. The observatory will provide data to be complemented by market analysis, short-term outlook reports and medium-term prospects, as well as by regular meetings of an economic board. This board, composed of milk market stakeholders, will discuss the data and add valuable relevant information and insight. Additionally, the milk market observatory meetings will be reflected in reports that will be made publicly available. (LC)