Activities of Alyn SMITH related to 2010/0362(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
Contractual relations in the milk and milk products sector (debate)
Amendments (16)
Amendment 49 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) In 2007-2009, exceptional developments took place in milk and milk products sector markets. Initially, extreme weather conditions in Oceania brought about a significant decline in supplies, leading to a rapid and significant increase in prices. Yet while world supplies had started their recovery, and prices had started to return to more normal levels, the subsequent financial and economic crisis negatively affected EU dairy producers, aggravating price volatility. Initially feed and other input costs including energy increased significantly as a result of higher commodity prices. Subsequently, a drop in worldwide, as well as EU, demand, including for milk and milk products, whilst EU production was stable led to a collapse in EU prices, down to the lower safety net level. Moreover, this crisis has occurred in the context of global conditions entailing a substantial protein deficit in the European Union, which is referred to in the European Parliament’s resolution of 8 March 2011 on ‘the EU protein deficit: what solution for a long- standing problem?’ This sharp decline in dairy commodity prices failed to fully translate into lower dairy prices at consumer levels, generating a widening in the gross margin of the downstream sectors for most milk and milk sector products and countries, and preventing demand for them to adjust to low commodity prices, slowing down price recovery and exacerbating the impact of low prices on milk producers.
Amendment 73 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6a) There has recently been discussion at EU level regarding the functioning of the food supply chain. There is also growing concern regarding the power of dairies, while the position of milk-producers is very weak. Particularly because of the power of the dairies, added value is not evenly distributed along the chain as a whole. Furthermore, there is concern about the power of large retail undertakings and the large margins which they often enjoy.
Amendment 75 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) For dairies, the volume which will be delivered during the season is not always well planned. Even for dairy co-operatives (owned by farmers which possess processing facilities, by which 58% of EU raw milk is processed), there is a potential lack of adaptation of supply to demand: farmers are obliged to deliver all their milk to their co-. As a large proportion of dairy cooperatives, for various reasons, are no longer under the direct influence of farmers, the dairies often have an interest in securing cheap quantities rather than limiting quantities. The latter could, in consultation with producers, facilitate higher prices, but does not happen because the dairies do not see the need for it. Because of their membership of a cooperative and the co-oplack of alternative is obliged to accept all the milks, farmers are obliged to deliver all their milk at a low price over which they have no genuine influence; they seek to compensate for the low price by increasing production.
Amendment 119 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14 a (new)
Recital 14 a (new)
(14a) A monitoring centre should be established. It should at regular intervals record data on demand and supply and full costs typical of regions and undertakings and indicate objectives of the EU’s milk policy with representatives of all interest groups in the dairy industry, including consumers, as well as pointing to any changes which need to be made to the legal situation.
Amendment 125 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) In order to guarantee a uniform application of measures set out inensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, in all Member States, the Commission should be empowered to adopt implementing acts in accordance with Article 291 TFUE. Save where explicitly provided otherwise, the Commission should adopt those implementing acts in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No [xxxx/yyyy] of the European Parliament and the Council on…mplementing powers should be conferred on the Commission. Those powers, save where explicitly provided otherwise, should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No…/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of … laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by the Member States of the Commission's exercise of implementing powers*. It should be impossible to restrict legal acts of the Member States which are unambiguously designed to strengthen producers. _______________ * OJ L 55, 28.02.11, p. 13.
Amendment 141 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 3
Article 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) 1234/2007
Article 123 – paragraph 4 – point a
Article 123 – paragraph 4 – point a
(a) are made upconsist in equal parts, with equal voting rights, of representatives of economic activities linked to the production of, trade in, or processing of products of the milk and milk products sector and recognised consumers’ representatives;
Amendment 147 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 3
Article 1 – point 3
(i) improving knowledge and the transparency of production and the market for the benefit of all components of the milk supply chain, including by publication of statistical data on the prices, volumes and durations of contracts for the delivery of raw milk which have been previously concluded, and by providing analyses of potential future market developments at regional or , national and international level;
Amendment 157 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 3
Article 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) 1234/2007
Article 123 – paragraph 4 – point c – subpoint iv
Article 123 – paragraph 4 – point c – subpoint iv
(iv) providing the information and carrying out the research necessary to adjust production towards products more suited to market requirements and consumer tastes and expectations, in particular with regard to product quality and protection of the environment, the climate and animal welfare;
Amendment 167 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 3
Article 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) 1234/2007
Article 123 – paragraph 4 – point c – subpoint viii
Article 123 – paragraph 4 – point c – subpoint viii
(viii) promoting integrated production or otherproduction methods recognised and certified at European level as environmentally sound production methods.;
Amendment 168 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 3
Article 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) 1234/2007
Article 123 – paragraph 4 – point c – subpoint viii a (new)
Article 123 – paragraph 4 – point c – subpoint viii a (new)
(viiia) implementation of advertising measures within the Union for milk and milk products produced in ways which are particularly sound from the point of view of the environment, climate and animal welfare;
Amendment 174 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 4
Article 1 – point 4
Regulation (EC) 1234/2007
Article 126 a – paragraph 1
Article 126 a – paragraph 1
1. Contracts for the delivery of raw milk by a farmer to a processor of raw milk, or to a collector within the meaning of the second subparagraph of Article 185f(1), may be negotiated by a producer organisation in the milk and milk products sector which is recognised under Article 122, on behalf of its farmer members for part or all of their joint production, regardless of whether the processor is a cooperative and regardless of whether the producer is a member of this or of another cooperative. Farmers who are members of a cooperative may, at the same time, be members of such a producer organisation.
Amendment 204 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 4
Article 1 – point 4
Regulation (EC) 1234/2007
Article 126 a – paragraph 2 – point (d)
Article 126 a – paragraph 2 – point (d)
Amendment 249 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 9
Article 1 – point 9
Regulation (EC) 1234/2007
Article 185 f – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 185 f – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
1. If a Member State decides thats shall make it compulsory for every delivery of raw milk by a farmer to a processor of raw milk musto be covered by a written contract between the parties,; such contracts shall fulfil the conditions laid down in paragraph 2.
Amendment 275 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 9
Article 1 – point 9
Regulation (EC) 1234/2007
Article 185 f – paragraph 2 – point c – subpoint i – indent 2a (new)
Article 185 f – paragraph 2 – point c – subpoint i – indent 2a (new)
- include a means of varying the price between the contracted parties
Amendment 292 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 9
Article 1 – point 9
Regulation (EC) 1234/2007
Article 185 f – paragraph 3
Article 185 f – paragraph 3
Amendment 302 #
Proposal for a regulation - amending act
Article 1 – point 9
Article 1 – point 9
Regulation (EC) 1234/2007
Article 185 f – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 185 f – paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Even if a Member State has decided that it will not be compulsory for milk to be covered by a contract, a producer organisation, representative of a group of producers, or a farmer may require a contract to which the above conditions apply. In those circumstances, the dairy may either accept the contract, or reject the delivery of milk.