Brussels, 03/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - According to a provisional calculation by the European Commission, revealed on 3 October, ten EU Member States have exceeded their milk quotas, which totalled 1.2 million tonnes. The combined estimated levies from producers in these countries amounts to €377 million, compared with €363.6 million last year (see EUROPE 9039). Together, Italy, Germany and Poland account for 90% of the penalties. However, the amount to be paid by Poland (€91 million) is expected to be revised downwards through the conversion of unallocated direct sales quota to delivery quota (see EUROPE 9267 on the Council decision authorising this conversion for the new EU Member States).
Each Member State receives two reference quantities (quotas), one for deliveries to dairies, the other for direct sales to consumers.
Deliveries: the quota available for deliveries to dairies is 135.5 million tonnes (shared among more than 880,000 producers) for the EU as a whole for 2005-2006. According to information submitted to the Commission, nine Member States have exceeded their delivery quota by a total of 1.217 million tonnes. This results in total penalties of €376.2 million. The distribution of excesses and penalties among Member States is as follows: Italy (610,916 tonnes excess, penalties of €188.8 million); Poland (295,924 t, €91.5 million); Germany (200,727 t, €62 million), Austria (74,018 t, €22.8 million); Czech Republic (16,590 t, €5.1 million); Spain (13,265 t, €4.1 million); Luxemburg (2,865 t, €886,000); Cyprus (2,500 t, €774,000) and Portugal (418 t, €129,000). Unlike last year (2004-2005), Belgium, Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands are not among those who have exceeded their quotas.
Direct sales: the quota available for direct sales to consumers is 1.8 million tonnes. Only Spain and the Netherlands slightly exceeded their quotas (by 1,843 t and 796 t respectively), resulting in a levy of €0.8 million. (lc)