12 February 2010

2 minute read

Speaking after the meeting COPA President Padraig Walshe insisted “I welcome Mr Cioloş decision to come and speak to us today so soon after he was appointed as Commissioner. I am also pleased that he wants to maintain a robust CAP-post 2013, with direct aid payments to farmers, coupled with a sufficiently large budget. In view of the increasing market volatility and the sharp drop of 12.2 per cent on average in EU farmers’ incomes in 2009, it is more important than ever to maintain market stability.

"Strong EU market management tools are essential. New measures must also be examined in a bid to ensure that consumers are assured greater price stability and to help producers withstand crises. Furthermore, I welcome the Commissioners’ firm stance in the current Doha round of world trade liberalising talks. I want to ensure that refunds on EU agriculture produce are maintained as an EU policy tool for as long as other competitors do not withdraw their own export support."

Cogeca President Paolo Bruni meanwhile urged the Commissioner to ensure that cooperatives and producer groupings have a strong, economically viable position in the food chain. “Copa- Cogeca wants to enhance the role and position of cooperatives in the EU Food Chain and it will continue its active participation in the High Level Group in order to address the problems of late payments, market abuses, unfair commercial practises and distortions of competition in the food chain. This will contribute to the smoother running of the food chain and fairer competition, thus enabling farmers and cooperatives to obtain a bigger proportion of the value added and have a fair and stable income. I call on Mr Cioloş and his colleague in charge of Compeition Policy to examine EU competition rules in a bid to improve the operation of the food supply chain."

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