Conference "What future for Milk?"

Brussels, 26 March 2010

The recent crisis in the dairy sector lead to questions about the future viability of this sector. In this context the Commission established a High Level Group (HLG) with the purpose of discussing mid-term and long term arrangements. In addition to the discussions within this HLG the Commission would also like to consult more widely, and this conference formed part of that wider consultation.

The objective of the conference was to discuss the following issues:

Contractual relations between milk producers and dairies to better balance supply and demand on the dairy market

What can be done to strengthen the bargaining power of milk producers?

Are the existing market instruments appropriate?

Transparency for the benefit of milk producers, dairy industry and consumers

A futures market in dairy?

Programme [pdf]

Video recording

Proceedings of the conference

Opening of the conference

• Dacian Cioloş, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development [pdf ]
• Rareş-Lucian Niculescu, Vice-Chairman of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, European Parliament [pdf ]

Economic facts

• "Today's dairy market" by Martin Van Driel (European Commission, DG Agriculture and Rural Development) [pdf]
• "What perspectives for dairy products?" by Pierluigi Londero (European Commission, DG Agriculture and Rural Development) [pdf]
• “Global dairy markets trends and prospects” by Pavel Vavra (OECD, Directorate for Agriculture)

Questions/answers session on morning presentations and issues other than those foreseen for the afternoon panels facilitated by Roger Waite, European Commission Spokesman for Agriculture and Rural Development

Presentation on the work of the High Level Experts' Group on milk by Jean-Luc Demarty, Director-General, European Commission, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, chairman of the High Level Experts' Group on milk

Panel on contractual relations, bargaining power and transparency. Short introduction and questions/answers session moderated by Roger Waite, European Commission Spokesman for Agriculture and Rural Development

Panel consisting of:

• Olivier Andrault (BEUC) [pdf]
• Padraig Walshe (COPA COGECA) [pdf]
• Jack Baines (Eucolait) [pdf]
• Xavier Durieu (Eurocommerce) [pdf]
• Rudolf Mögele (European Commission, DG Agriculture and Rural Development)
• Representative of DG Competition, European Commission [pdf]
• Lidia Senra (European Coordination Via Campesina) [pdf]
• Werner Buck (European Dairy Association) [pdf]
• Romuald Schaber (European Milk Board) [pdf - update, 10/05/2010]
• Alison Burrell (JRC Seville, Spain)

Panel on market instruments, futures and volatility. Short introduction and questions/answers session moderated by Roger Waite, European Commission Spokesman for Agriculture and Rural Development

Panel consisting of:

• Mark Voorbergen (Rabobank Nederland)
• Michael Keane (University College Cork)
• Joost Pennings (Maastricht University)
• Hermanus Versteijlen (European Commission, DG Agriculture and Rural Development)

Conclusions by Jean-Luc Demarty, Director-General, European Commission, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, chairman of the High Level Experts' Group on milk [pdf]

Participants

The conference brought together leading representatives from:

The High Level Group

Producers/cooperatives

Trade/retailers

Industry

Trade Unions

Consumers

The European institutions