Brussels, 23/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - The Management Committee decided on Thursday 22 January 2009 to reintroduce export refunds for certain dairy products for the first time since June 2007. The decision was taken to respond to the serious situation on the EU dairy markets, caused by a recent sharp fall in producer prices and is one of the main measures announced last week by the European Commission to support the dairy industry. The export refunds were, however, set at too low a level to cover most of the supply provided by EU dairy operators.
For skimmed milk power, bids were accepted for a total of 5,612 tonnes at a maximum refund of €200 per tonne (out of total bids for 15,172 tonnes, with requests for export refunds of between €98.5 and €595 per tonne). For butter, bids were accepted for 2,299 tonnes at a maximum refund of €500 a tonne.
For butteroil, bids were accepted for 80 tonnes at a maximum refund of €580 a tonne.
The European Commission has not yet opened bidding for whole milk powder or cheese, but it decided last week that the export refunds for these products would be €260 and €220 a tonne respectively. A European Commission spokesperson commented that the reintroduction of export refunds for dairy produce was in line with the EU's World Trade Organisation commitments. (L.C. trans fl)