The Austrian Presidency is clearing the way for substantial compensation payments for poultry farmers affected by a sharp drop in sales as a result of avian influenza. At the EU Agriculture Council on Tuesday, 25 April in Luxembourg, a proposal for a Regulation on exceptional market support measures tabled by the European Commission on 29 March will be adopted. The European Parliament already gave an assurance of its support on 8 April, subject to certain amendments. The main differences of opinion concern whether the EU should fund only 50% of the compensation, as the Commission proposes, or whether it should provide 100%, as demanded by the European Parliament and some countries from the south of the EU and by some new Member States.
All in all, however, at the meeting of the Special Committee on Agriculture on 10 April all the Member States were in favour of adopting the proposal quickly. As a result, the Austrian Presidency of the Council will be able to wrap up a change of this nature to the common market organisation in the record time of about one month.
Austria�s Minister for Agriculture and current President of the Agriculture Council, Josef Pr�ll, had already declared at the previous meeting of agriculture ministers in March that Europe�s poultry farmers would not be left in the lurch. Farmers should not only get compensation when infected stock are slaughtered, but also for other economic losses.
Consumption of poultry meat has dropped by more than half in some Member States. Consequently, large quantities of poultry meat, currently estimated at around 300 000 tonnes, are having to be put into storage in many Member States. The Commission is planning measures to reduce production, and payment for stocks. There are no plans concerning private stocks or food aid.
Also on the agenda: WTO, avian influenza and fisheries
The European Commission will report to the Council on the current state of the WTO negotiations. In view of the tense negotiating situation, this topic may give rise to a political debate among the ministers on Tuesday. An exchange of views on the economic situation of the fishing industry is also scheduled, although EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg will be unable to attend the Council meeting because of illness. In addition, the European Commission will give a written update on the situation regarding avian influenza.
Previous article
China denies covering up human bird-flu cases