21/09/2018 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 17 September, EU member states endorsed the European Commission’s proposal to renew, in 2019, the initiative taken in 2018 setting at zero the ceiling for fixed price purchases in the context of public intervention for skimmed milk powder. If necessary, calls for tenders will be progressively launched. The Commission hopes to prevent further accumulation of skimmed milk powder given that, at present, it is still selling stocks from the 2016 milk crisis. It proposed that 155,000 tonnes of these public stocks be put on sale during the call for bids ending 20 September. The next meeting of the European milk market observatory, on 25 September, will allow stock to be taken of the current situation in the sector. (LC)