Brussels, 30/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - Many EU farm ministers voiced opposition at their meeting in Brussels, on Monday 29 January, to the proposal to remove maize from the list of cereals that benefit from intervention. Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel acknowledged that her proposal had not been backed by a majority of member states and promised to explore other possibilities to reduce public maize intervention stocks, which currently amount to 3.9 million tonnes.
The Council debate showed that only the United Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden supported the Commission's proposal, above all highlighting the fact that abolition of intervention maize would make it possible to improve the sector's competitiveness. The countries directly targeted by the proposal are Hungary (which is in the lead as it holds over 90% of maize intervention stocks), Austria, Romania and Bulgaria (the last two producing 12 million tonnes of maize annually). These countries refused to abolish intervention stocks, saying this was not the right method and that such a measure would be “premature”. The ministers of these member states invited the Commission to postpone any decision at least until the review of the quality requirements of maize for intervention, adopted in 2006, has shown its expected effects on the market (reduction of maximum humidity content, new specific weight criteria, see EUROPE 9276). Other cereal producer countries, such as Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Poland and the Czech Republic, also protested against the Commission's initiative. These countries are not targeted by the proposal but fear the cereals market will be adversely affected. Italy and Spain have recommended measures that are less radical than abolition of intervention, such as a gradual fall in intervention prices or the fixing of intervention maize quotas for each country.
During a press conference, Ms Fischer Boel expressed surprise that the proposal had not received “majority support” in Council. She considers it unacceptable that some regions of the EU hold back part of their maize production for intervention, in order to receive Community subsidies, when prices are very competitive. She also recalled the advantages to be had by operators who use maize to produce bioethanols. According to the Commission, the abolition of intervention would make it possible to accelerate and encourage producers to invest in energy crops (bio-fuels). (lc)