On Monday 19 November in Brussels, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan said that soon a high level group would be organised to analyse the sugar sector . It will be composed of senior officials from EU countries and the European Commission.
The Commission made this announcement in response to concerns expressed during the October ‘Agriculture’ Council meeting (see EUROPE 12117). On Monday, EU agriculture ministers discussed the situation regarding agricultural markets.
Italy had asked the Commission to activate the necessary measures to balance the market in the short and medium term, in particular private storage aid and the potential so-called 'exceptional' measures (provided for in the Regulation on the common organisation of the market). Italy is "very concerned" about the situation in the sugar sector (surpluses). Several ministers supported the requests of the Italians, including Greece, Belgium, Romania, Spain, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. Commissioner Hogan reiterated that, in his view, private storage aid is not the solution to the problem, because "it would send the wrong signal to the market and delay the necessary natural adaptation process". In addition, private storage aid would be costly and inefficient, according to the Commission. Germany opposed the activation of this support measure, as did the Czech Republic, which prefers direct support for producers.
Pigmeat was mentioned by the Czech Republic and Italy, in particular.
Several countries (France, the Baltic countries, etc.) mentioned the impact of drought on grains.
Apples, trade, olives. Poland and Slovenia mentioned the difficulties in the apple sector (low prices) and Belgium mentioned the problems for apples and pears. France referred to the livestock sector and the need for vigilance in the negotiations on trade agreements. Belgium has requested a new cumulative impact study on the effects of trade agreements.
Spain referred to the olives of Andalusia (see EUROPE 12121). The Commission services are assessing the need to lodge a complaint with the WTO (World Trade Organisation) against the anti-dumping and countervailing duties definitively applied by the United States since 1 August on imports of Spanish black olives. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)