The skimmed milk powder from intervention hangs like the sword of Damocles over a long-lasting stability of the milk market. In view of the strong pressure exerted by intervention milk powder on the milk sector, the European Milk Board strongly recommends that a constructive decision to reduce pressure be taken at today's EU Agriculture Council in Luxembourg. The French Ministry of Agriculture has submitted a proposal to this effect, calling for milk powder to be used as animal feed in order to relieve the dairy market.

 
The European Milk Board calls on the ministers of the other EU Member States to endorse this constructive proposal.

Background

The dairy market needs to be stabilised in the long term, with the right instruments. For this purpose, the following steps are necessary:

1. Elimination of the pressure exerted by skimmed-milk powder from intervention
2. Implementation of a crisis instrument such as the Market Responsibility Programme (MRP)

Contacts:

EMB president Erwin Schöpges (FR, DE, NL): +32 (0)497 904 547
EMB director Silvia Däberitz (EN, DE, FR): +32 (0)2808 1936