Brussels, 11/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - EU member states gave the green light on Wednesday 11 March to the proposal by the European Commission for a regulation to authorise payment in three yearly instalments of the milk surplus levy for the last year of application of quotas.
The member states will be able to allow producers liable for the surplus levy (because they exceeded their milk quotas in 2014-2015) to pay it off in no more than three interest-free instalments. This concession, called for by several countries, is particularly welcome to producers in Ireland, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and Denmark who could face heavy penalties. The sums due will, nonetheless, have to be paid by the member states concerned to the Commission by 30 November 2015 and will be available as revenue for the 2016 budget year.
Under the terms of the draft regulation producers will be able to pay off the surplus levy in three equal interest-free tranches before the 1 October 2015, 2016 and 2017. (Lionel Changeur)