On Monday 8 July, the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union invited experts from the Member States to discuss the situation in the milk market ahead of further discussions on other sectors.
The European Commission presented the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) with an overview of the market situation in Europe and the main drivers and challenges, outlining the outlook for the future and the current policy framework to help the sector achieve sustainability, competitiveness and resilience.
Some SCA delegations mentioned the importance of taking measures to stabilise dairy farmers’ incomes and counteract the negative effects of rising production costs, which lead to lower profitability.
Some countries raised the issue of declining milk consumption and changing consumer preferences. Generational renewal is a challenge for several delegations, as is improving the position of farmers in the food supply chain. Some delegations called for measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock farming and mentioned the need for technological innovation to improve productivity and sustainability. In addition, investment is needed to prevent animal diseases.
Several countries advocated for coupled income support for the sector or an increase in the threshold for so-called de minimis aid.
Finally, some delegations mentioned the potential problems associated with implementing the regulation to combat deforestation (see EUROPE 13441/20). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)