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Parliamentary question - E-006252/2014Parliamentary question
E-006252/2014

Inaction in providing a soft landing for the EU dairy sector

Question for written answer E-006252-14
to the Commission
Rule 130
Seán Kelly (PPE)

How can the Commission justify its inaction in the area of providing a soft landing for the EU dairy sector ahead of the elimination of milk quotas? On 14 July the Commission and Council missed an opportunity to make a technical adjustment to the butterfat co-efficient, which would have saved EUR 600 million in super levies for dairy farmers in the EU who are naturally increasing production ahead of the quota abolition.

This super levy is completely contradictory to the principle of a soft landing. Keeping the levy in place means missing an opportunity to permit EU dairy farmers to ramp up their production ahead of the quotas so as to achieve a greater share in the global dairy market and to penetrate new and expanding markets. Rather than supporting such a job-creating and growth-friendly move, the Commission is effectively imposing a tax on a new source of EU exports which could encourage rural development and job growth in rural areas. This goes against the EU policy priority of creating growth and jobs, particularly in vulnerable rural areas.