19/11/2018 (Agence Europe) – Representatives of rice producers from several countries (Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Greece) asked the President of the Agriculture Council, Elisabeth Köstinger, on Monday 19 November in Brussels, to activate the safeguard clause to stop duty-free imports of rice from Cambodia and Burma (see EUROPE 12134). The Commission proposes (EU countries voted on 4 December) to reintroduce the 175 €/t customs duty on rice from these two countries. This duty would be restored for a period of three years, but gradually reduced to 150 €/t in the second year and 125 €/t in the third year. Imports of Cambodian Indica rice reached 249,000 tonnes in 2016-2017, compared to 163,000 tonnes in 2012-2013, representing 25.1% of total EU imports, according to the Commission's survey. (LC)