At the Agriculture Council on Monday 15 July, Italy discussed the difficult situation in the country's rice sector due to increased imports of Japonica rice from Burma into the EU.
The EU has already triggered the safeguard clause reintroducing normal tariffs on Indica rice. This time, Italy complains about the negative effects of duty-free imports of milled Burmese Japonica rice (see EUROPE 12290/9).
The Italian Minister of Agriculture, Gian Marco Centinaio, has asked the Commission to closely monitor duty-free imports of Japonica-type milled rice from Burma. Italy was supported by several countries (Portugal, Hungary, Greece, Spain and Romania) and pointed out that Japonica rice represents 75% of European production, but is less consumed than Indica rice.
The Commission has been asked by Italy to: – provide for the introduction of effective controls at ports of arrival; – open an investigation to establish whether the conditions for the reintroduction of normal Common Customs Tariff duties are met.
But the Commission considers that at this stage there is no evidence to refer to the safeguard clause and will continue to monitor the market. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)