García Tejerina: The significant work carried out by Spain has led to a package of measures for the dairy sector valued at 500 million euros

In a statement to the media following the end of the Council meeting held on Monday in Brussels, García Tejerina recalled that the Ministry for Agriculture has driven forward all the measures that depended on the Government, but those relating to the regulation of the market are the responsibility of the Commission, "and today the Commission has presented this package that largely responds to the request that France, Italy, Portugal and Spain made at the meeting of the four ministers in Madrid on 28 August."

According to the minister, "the similarity between the requests the four Member States made and the measures announced by the Commission is undoubtedly due to the significant pressure from some countries on market regulation measures."

Package of measures

The Minister explained that this common position has facilitated the proposal by the Commission to present a different and improved private storage scheme. Specifically, García Tejerina noted that the Commission has undertaken to present an initiative for the storage of skimmed milk powder with an effect equivalent to that which would have occurred with a rise in the intervention price.

At the same time, the Commission has undertaken improve the private storage of cheese, "which was another of our requests." It will also present promotion measures, aim to open markets in third countries and create a High Level Group with tasks such as the assessment of the dairy package and improve the functioning of the food supply chain, "which is already a reality in Spain," she pointed out.

Similarly, the minister highlighted the Commission's decision to advance up to 70% of payments under the CAP, including base payments, aid to young people and also associated aid, "which is important for Spain, which has already decided to increase its aid associated to the dairy sector."

The Commission has also expressed its willingness for most of these 500 million euros to be in the form of aid to Member States. "Now we have to see what flexibility we are given to transfer this money to the farmers," she added.

The Minister believes that over the coming days, Spanish farmers will receive access to significant liquidity, now that they will be able to count on this aid, with the advance from the CAP and with the aid that the Government will grant to milk farmers, which will all help their position in the market. In short, Spanish farmers will be in a much more favourable position than the EU farmers average.

With respect to the timetable for implementing these measures, García Tejerina explained that the Commission will release more details on Thursday so that the Member States can assess them in more detail. On Tuesday, at the informal Agriculture Council meeting in Luxembourg, "the ministers will continue to evaluate these measures and submit their final position to the Commission."