Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-02-14-Speech-2-318-000"
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"en.20120214.19.2-318-000"2
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"Mr President, I am very pleased that we were able to reach agreement on the dairy package with the Council and Commission in December. In this regard I must thank my shadow rapporteurs for all the very hard work that they put in. We started off with – I think I can safely say – some very divergent views and positions, so it is a testament to their commitment that we found solutions to our differences and ways to incorporate each other’s point of view.
I must also thank the Council and the Commission, who at all stages of the process adopted a very constructive approach towards Parliament. This cooperation was what allowed us to achieve a deal at the end of the day. I was determined to get a deal on the dairy package agreed before we entered into the CAP reform and I am very pleased that we have achieved that. I would also just like to pay my own special thanks to those involved in the Polish Presidency for their hard work through the weeks and the months that we were working on this.
The dairy package was, to a large extent, a dry run for Parliament’s engagement in the CAP reform. It definitely gave us some insight as to how the process will evolve. Although of course the reform will be on a much larger scale, we must bear this in mind, and I think we all gained some valuable experience in terms of how we should go about finding our internal position within Parliament and also how best to negotiate with the other institutions. It is my belief that, in order for Parliament to influence the reform of the CAP to the maximum effect, we should learn from our experiences in working with this dossier.
So what does the dairy package contain and how will it impact on our milk producers? That is the question which everyone is, of course, very keen to know the answer to. From the outset I would say that this legislation will not solve all the problems of Europe’s dairy sector, but I do hope that the measures contained within it will primarily help to strengthen the bargaining power of dairy farmers.
The establishment of the EU-recognised producer organisations and the interbranch organisations for the sector is a step forward. Producer organisations will be able to negotiate milk volumes of up to 33 % of the national production. This is, I believe, a good balance between boosting their negotiating power and protecting against distorting competition. Producer organisations should help farmers to organise themselves better and strengthen their position in the supply chain, especially in Member States where a system of cooperatives is limited or non-existent.
The package also includes provisions for EU contracts to be implemented at Member State level. Some countries may choose to go down this route while others will not. This is likely to depend on the characteristics and the situation of each individual country’s dairy market, whether they are a co-op system or export-driven. The decision to impose contracts will be voluntary, which will give Member States the flexibility to choose what suits them best. If a Member State decides to impose contracts, those contracts must respect the conditions laid down by the regulation. These include the condition that the price, the volume of milk to be delivered and the duration of the contract are outlined in the contract.
One of the main points Parliament has achieved is in the article which allows for the regulation of milk supply for production or for PDO and PGI cheeses. We worked hard on this to achieve a balance between supporting quality production and making sure that we did not interfere with competition law or the functioning of the internal market. I am sure that my southern counterparts will have more to say on this issue and will outline how it will particularly help milk producers in their countries, which are those Member States which have high levels of quality production.
I would like to conclude by saying that I think we have ended up with a package of measures which are flexible. Although milk is produced in every EU Member State, each country has very different needs. There are Member States that would like to see quotas being retained past 2015, while others look forward to increasing production. However, no matter what the focus of the industry, we have a responsibility to ensure dairy farmers have the opportunity to achieve the best possible price for their milk. In this regard, I would urge producers to look carefully at the measures and take full advantage."@en1
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