 |
|
 |
|
Sheepmeat and goatmeat
A new version
of the text below is currently being prepared
On a proposal from the Commission,
Council Regulation (EC) No 2529/2001 on the common organisation of the market
in sheepmeat and goatmeat was published on 22 December 2001 and brought into
effect on 1 January 2002.
Objectives
The common organisation makes it
possible to stabilise the market and to ensure an equitable standard of living
for producers by means of two main components: rules on direct payments and
rules on trade with third countries.
Provisions
While providing for market price
monitoring on the basis of which exceptional measures could be taken to support
private storage, the common organisation of the market does not allow for a
real system of prices including setting of institutional prices.
The most important change introduced
since 2001: a fixed premium for producers has replaced a price-dependent
variable compensatory payment. This change simplifies administrative procedures
for producers and at the same time significantly reduces the cost for Member
States.
The Regulation covers lambs, live
sheep and goats, meat of sheep or goats - fresh, chilled or frozen, edible
offal, fats, prepared and conserved meat or offal of sheep or goats.
Its key components are:
- Rules on direct
payments
Annually, producers may receive
a ewe premium of €21/head or €16.8/head if their milk is marketed.
For goats intended for meat production, the premium is €16.8/head for
holdings located in eligible areas.
An additional premium of
€7/head is granted in less-favoured areas where sheep or goat production
constitutes a traditional activity. This premium contributes to maintaining
rural employment and to transhumance to less-favoured areas in the case of a
traditional practice.
Each Member State is also
allocated a flat-rate sum (approximately €1 per female) which is
distributed to producers. These are additional payments which supplement the
premiums and which are intended to achieve specific objectives, such as
supporting certain types of production or establishing producer
organisations.
- Rules on trade with third
countries
For a majority of products
(except for the free-trade countries), imports are subject to the issue of an
import licence by the Member States.
Common customs tariff duty rates
apply to products in the sheep and goat sector. Certain products, in quantities
laid down by tariff quotas, qualify for zero or reduced customs duty. The
tariff quotas correspond to preferential import arrangements, bilateral
agreements or multilateral commitments within the World Trade Organisation
(WTO).
- Market monitoring
Member States monitor market
price trends. In the event of a major change threatening to disrupt the
Community market, appropriate measures may be taken.
Prices recorded on the market
are calculated on the basis of carcase prices, excluding value-added
tax.
Prices are recorded on the
representative market(s) during the week preceding that in which the
information is given. If there are several representative markets in a
quotation area, the price for that area is equal to the average of the prices
recorded on those markets, weighted by coefficients set by the Member States
reflecting the relative importance of each market or category.
|
|
|
|
Market prices:
Carcasses [pdf] [xls]
Management
Committee |
