Brussels, 19/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - In his response to a written question from MEP Francesc Gambus (EPP, Spain), Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan indicated on Thursday 19 February that the European Commission “continues monitoring the developments of the EU pig meat market very closely. If necessary, appropriate measures can be taken within the frame of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013(2) establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products”.
French Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll said on Wednesday 18 February that he, along with the other member states concerned (Denmark, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Cyprus, Italy, Greece, Austria and Ireland) had once again contacted the agriculture commissioner to call for “market measures to be put in place to eliminate gluts on the market” (our translation). The Ministry does not provide any information on the kinds of measures called for but private storage is one that springs immediately to mind. Since Russia imposed its import ban on agricultural produce, France has several times called for this instrument to be activated - but always in vain. The management committee met on Thursday 19 February but no measure has been agreed to at this point. Commissioner Hogan is due to attend the International Agricultural Fair in Paris on Sunday and there are suggestions that he might announce something there.
In his reply to the written question put by Gambus, Hogan states that the loss of the Russian market has to a very large extent been compensated by increasing exports to Asia, in particular Japan, South Korea, Philippines, China and Hong Kong. EU exports of pig meat in 2014 only declined by 6% in quantity, while in 2013 Russia made up 24% of European exports, the Commission notes. The Commission has intensified contacts with several trade partners to lift sanitary barriers which block the opening of alternative export markets for EU operators. Moreover, in September the Commission increased the EU funding available for co-financing promotion programmes to be decided upon in 2015 by €30 million. Pig meat under quality schemes is eligible for promotion programmes in the internal market, while standard pig meat is also eligible for actions targeting third countries. (Lionel Changeur)