Call for Action of Shaping EU's Milk Market

EU - The European Milk Board (EMB) has called on the new EU Commissioner for Agriculture Dacian Çiolos to quickly enter into in-depth dialogue with the European milk producers.

11 February 2010

2 minute read

At the EU High Level Expert Group on Milk meeting last week the European Milk Board said it made it clear that the role of the EU in shaping the milk market will still be very important in the future.

That is because only regulation at European level can maintain the milk market balance in the short term and the long run, the EMB said.

"National solutions or the proposals put forward by some dairies and governments for regulating milk supply through direct contracts between farmer and dairy are misguided," the EMB said in a statement.

"They further weaken the producers’ bargaining position and result in ever greater fluctuations in volumes and prices.

"Yet the state does not necessarily have to perform an executive role. It suffices if the EU prescribes basic conditions that strengthen the milk producers’ bargaining position and gives them tools for taking control of the market.

"It is in society’s best interest to have high-quality food production. That is why the EU’s involvement in shaping the milk market calls for a monitoring body to ensure that the interests of all concerned are safeguarded."

The EMB said it proposes setting up a European Monitoring Agency with representatives from all those involved in the milk market, i.e. politicians and consumers as well as milk producers, the milk processing industry and the retail trade.

“A solution must be found that satisfies society’s requirements for multifunctional milk production in dynamic rural areas,” said Romuald Schaber, President of the EMB.

“A key prerequisite for this is protection from the outside both for the European market and for markets in other parts of the world that prevents dairy produce being dumped.”