Column ¦ IDM
May/June 2021 ¦ international-dairy.com · 49
However, there are today some sticking points in the CMO
negotiations that could affect dairy. On the one hand, we have
grave concerns when it comes to the proposed changes to
some articles of the regulation regarding measures against
market disturbances. The system proposed by the European
Parliament would impose levies on producers in certain
situations and this is hence a clear contradiction to the market
orientation of successive CAP reforms since 2003. Returning
to old practices and the necessary administrative processes at
all levels would be detrimental to the interest of producers and
processors.
On the other hand, the evolution of the CMO policy towards
greater market orientation should be at a pace that gives
dairy farmers and processors sufficient time to adapt without
unnecessary disruption. That is why the safety net in case of
extreme market situations through public intervention will be
kept. As I said, recent experience has proven that intervention can
be effective in a period of extreme downward price movements.
Another field of ‘work in progress’ is enhanced market
transparency. Evidence shows that price transparency can
be a double-edged sword and excessive price transparency
can restrict competition and harm the interest of primary
producers. Some proposed changes of the CMO bear exactly
this risk. Transparency in the dairy sector is already secured
through various other measures, including new initiatives in
the field of market transparency and price reporting.
We have consistently echoed our message of simplification and
policy coherence. As a major contributor to the EU’s economy,
the EU dairy industry has always been and will continue being
a constructive partner in the design of legislative proposals and
we really trust in the negotiators in the European Parliament,
the EU Council and at European Commission level to come
finally to an agreement in June. Not only the dairy sector needs
a stable and previsible political framework.
The European Commission’s Farm to Fork
Strategy, part of the European Green Deal,
was published a year ago. Is Europe on
the right track here?
Giuseppe Ambrosi: As the European Commission’s flagship
policy, the European Green Deal aims at overcoming the
current climate and environmental challenges by developing
a roadmap that will make the European economy sustainable,
resource-efficient, and competitive in the global arena, with
the target of reaching zero net emissions of greenhouse gases
by 2050.
At the heart of the European Green Deal we find the so-called
Farm to Fork Strategy, launched one year ago with the idea of
transforming the EU food system to make it more sustainable
by altering the whole value chain, from EU food production to
distribution and consumption.
The European lactosphère did not wait for the European
Commission to come up with its Farm to Fork Strategy.
Building a more sustainable future is and has always been part
of our business strategies, but we have to keep the balance
between the three sustainability pillars and guarantee the
highest dairy quality while keeping the affordability aspect in
mind.
Resource-efficient dairy processes, the use of manure as an
effective and environmentally friendly alternative to mineral
fertilisers, the continuous reduction of our climate impact or
the prevention of food loss and food waste are part of our
daily work.
However, we also know that actions have consequences, so
it is always good – if not crucial – to analyse all possible outcomes
beforehand when planning a strategy to make sure
that its building blocks will not fall from the base. This is what
we are demanding from the European Commission: to publish
a so-called impact assessment of its Farm to Fork strategy for
EU agriculture and dairy.
So far, we have only seen an impact study from the
(former) U.S. administration. Now that it has been one year
since this strategy was launched, together with more than
30 EU-based organizations from the EU agri-food sector, EDA
has urged the European Commission to publish a comprehensive
impact assessment of the Farm to Fork strategy. This
strategy has the clear objective of transforming the entire EU
food system and its value chains, so there really must be a
process of cross-checking the different targets while considering
the voice of all the stakeholders affected, from farmers to
food processors. This is a pre-requirement for the success of
this strategy.
‘Uniting dairy excellence & ambition’ is the
new motto line of EDA. How ambitious
can the EU dairy sector be with regards to
the future?
Giuseppe Ambrosi: Our new leitmotiv, ‘uniting dairy
excellence & ambition’, sums up what EDA has been
standing for already in the past, but will focus on even more in
the future: uniting the different dairy processors across the EU
and the quality excellence of their dairy products while representing
the ambition of a sector with a promising (and sustainable)
future ahead.
I am fully confident that despite of the challenges, the EU
dairy sector will remain a pillar of EU’s economy, a thriving
sector within our EU agri-food industry and the best ambassador
of Europe’s culinary landmarks, delivering delicious and nutritious
dairy excellence, essential for all stages of life.
By combining iconic dairy tradition and nutritional avantgarde,
the EU dairy industry connects the past and the
future, the rural and the urban worlds, and fosters the common
understanding needed to move to the next level. In addition, we
know how to evolve in order to meet today’s climate demands by
lowering our impact on climate and environment without risking
our dairy quality. With all this in mind, we have enough reasons
to be greatly ambitious.
That is why and how we are ‘uniting dairy excellence & ambition’!
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