The dairy management committee yesterday adopted the European
Commission's proposal to set all refunds for dairy products at zero. This is
the first time since the introduction of refunds that exports of all dairy
products receive no refunds. For skimmed milk powder the refund was set at
zero in mid-2006. At the start of 2007, the refunds for whole milk powder
and condensed milk were set at zero and now the refunds for butter and
cheese have also been set at zero. This is partly the result of the 2003 CAP
reform, but mainly the result of extraordinary market conditions on the
internal market and the world market. At the start of the 2003 CAP reform,
refunds for SMP, WMP, butter and cheese were 57 EUR/100kg, 98 EUR/100kg, 178
EUR/100 kg and 105 EUR/100 kg respectively. Internal prices for dairy
products are currently higher than before the 2003 reform. SMP prices are
twice the intervention level and butter prices are 30% above the
intervention level. On world markets, the same trends can be observed, with
prices of milk powders well above 400 USD/100kg and cheese prices
approaching 400 USD/100kg. Butter prices are also at a historically high
level and rising. The Commission will continue to monitor the market very
closely and adapt the refunds if necessary.
European Union agriculture ministers today reached unanimous political
agreement on wide-ranging reforms to the Common Market Organisation for
fruit and vegetables to bring this sector into closer line with the rest of
the reformed Common Agricultural Policy. The reforms will improve the
competitiveness and market orientation of the fruit and vegetable sector,
reduce income fluctuations resulting from crises, promote consumption and
thus contribute to improved public health, and enhance environmental
protection. The changes aim to encourage more growers to join Producer
Organisations; offer Producer Organisations a wider range of tools for
crisis management; integrate the fruit and vegetable sector into the Single
Payment Scheme; require a minimum level of spending on environmental
measures; increase EU funding of organic production and promotional
measures; and abolish export subsidies for fruit and vegetables. The reform
will enter into force in 2008.
European Union agriculture ministers today reached political agreement on
a new regulation on organic production and labelling, which will be simpler
for both farmers and consumers. The new rules set out a complete set of
objectives, principles and basic rules for organic production, and include a
new permanent import regime and a more consistent control regime. The use of
the EU organic logo will be mandatory, but it can be accompanied by national
or private logos. The place where the products were farmed has to be
indicated to inform consumers. Food will only be able to carry an organic
logo if at least 95 percent of the ingredients are organic. But non-organic
products will be entitled to indicate organic ingredients on the ingredients
list only. The use of genetically modified organisms will remain prohibited.
It will now be made explicit that the general limit of 0.9 percent for the
accidental presence of authorised GMOs will also apply to organic products.
There will be no changes in the list of authorised substances for organic
farming. The new rules also create the basis for adding rules on organic
aquaculture, wine, seaweed and yeasts. In the second part of this revision
exercise, and building on this new regulation, the existing strict detailed
rules will be transferred from the old to the new Regulation.
European Union agriculture ministers today adopted conclusions backing
the Commission's report on the application of the system of Cross
Compliance. The report proposes a raft of measures to improve and simplify
the system of Cross Compliance, which formed a key element of the 2003
reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. The changes aim, among other
things, to improve information, introduce a certain level of tolerance in
minor cases of non-compliance, harmonise control rates and introduce advance
notice of certain on-farm checks. The Commission will now go ahead and
prepare the necessary legislative changes. This will not water down the
concept of Cross Compliance, but takes into account experience gained so far
to make the system work better for the benefit of farmers and
administrations. It forms a further stage in the Commission's ongoing
efforts to simplify the CAP. Cross Compliance means that farmers have to
respect a set of standards to avoid cuts in payments from the European
Union. These cover protection of the environment, public, animal and plant
health, animal welfare and the maintenance of the land in good agricultural
and environmental condition.
European Union agriculture ministers today backed a European Commission
proposal to establish a single Common Market Organisation for all
agricultural products, to replace the existing 21 CMOs. The move is a major
step in the ongoing process of streamlining and simplifying the Common
Agricultural Policy for the benefit of farmers, administrations and
companies handling agricultural products. The creation of a single CMO will
slim down legislation in the farming sector, improve its transparency and
make the policy more easily accessible. It is an example of applied better
regulation and therefore forms an integral part of the Lisbon strategy. The
creation of a single CMO is the most significant technical simplification of
the CAP yet undertaken. It should not be interpreted as a way to reform the
policy by the back door. The single CMO allows the repeal of almost 50
Council acts and replaces more than 650 legal articles in the current
regulations with around 200.
European Union agriculture ministers today agreed to clarify the
marketing conditions for meat from bovine animals aged twelve months or
less. The new rules will require the use of fixed sales descriptions for
these meats in the various Member States coupled with an indication of the
age category of the animals at slaughter. The aim is to improve the
transparency on the market and to help consumers to recognise precisely what
they are buying. The change follows lengthy discussions with all interested
parties, including an internet consultation on consumers' understanding of
the term 'veal'. It comes in the wake of requests from the trade and from
Member States for clearer rules to reflect the different production systems
in different Member States. This regulation will enhance the functioning of
the Single Market and provide better information for consumers.
European Union agriculture ministers today agreed to phase out the system
of public intervention purchases for maize over a three year period
beginning in the 2007/2008 marketing year. The agreement would set a limit
on maize intervention purchases of 1.5 million tonnes in 2007/08, falling to
700,000 tonnes in 2008/09 and then to zero from the 2009/10 season,
beginning on 1 July 2009. By the end of the 2005/2006 season, EU maize
intervention stocks had spiralled to 5.6 million tonnes, or 40 percent of
total public cereal stocks. Without changes to the current system, these
stocks, which are bought and stored at public expense, would have risen to
as much as 14.1 million tonnes by 2013. Possible outlets for maize stocks
are limited, and maize is unsuitable for long-term storage. Regions that
historically exported maize onto the world market have over recent years
offered a large part of their harvest directly for intervention. Ending
intervention for maize will allow the EU cereals market to achieve a new
balance.
European Commission and Australian negotiators yesterday initialled a new
bilateral agreement on trade in wine at a ceremony in Canberra. The
initialling is the result of long and detailed negotiations to replace the
current agreement, which dates from 1994. It must now be approved by the
Council of Ministers and the Australian authorities, before being signed.
The agreement safeguards the EU's wine labelling regime, gives full
protection to EU geographical indications, including for wines intended to
be exported, and includes a clear Australian commitment to protect EU
traditional expressions. It will also provide for the phasing out by
Australia of the use of a number of important EU names such as Champagne and
Port within a year of the agreement coming into force.
"Reform of the CMO for fruit and vegetables"
(Speech to EP before plenary vote on the reform of the Common Market
Organisation for fruit and vegetables, Brussels, 06/06/2007)
Applications for registration:
'Pane di Matera': PDO (OJ C 128 - 09/06/2007, p. 15)
'Tinca Gobba Dorata del Pianalto di Poirino': PGI (OJ C 128 - 09/06/2007, p. 19)
Applications to amend a specification:
'Queijo Serra da Estrela': (OJ C 127 - 08/06/2007, p. 10)
Registrations:
'Banon': PDO (OJ L 150 - 12/06/2007, p. 3)
'Bryndza PodhalaĊska': PDO (OJ L
150 - 12/06/2007,
p. 4)
Important notice: This selection is not exhaustive. For a complete list of current calls for tenders please log on to Tenders electronic daily.
"A feasibility study on introducing a security
fund in the fruit and vegetables sector":
Contract notice and tender
documents [Deadline for submission: 17/09/2007]