Europe Agri articles from May 2004

Europe Agri archives from May 2004

DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN: TRANSITIONAL MEASURES TO PROTECT PRODUCTS FROM NEW EU MEMBERS.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... The Regulation adopted by the Commission is based on Article 41 of the Accession Act and provides for transitional measures for designations of origin and geographical indications from new Member States. Council Regulation 2081/92/EEC on the...

WINE: STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN VAL D'ORBIEU OF FRANCE AND CAVIRO OF ITALY.
May 14, 2004... The main idea behind the Val d'Orbieu/Caviro pact is to establish a partnership between the two groups. They goals include: - exchanges of experience and maximising the effectiveness of industrial processes - consolidated purchases of...

FOOD SAFETY: EFSA SAYS UK POSES A "MODERATE RISK" OF BSE.
May 14, 2004... The BIOHAZ Panel also concluded that under the Over Thirty Months (OTM) rule, UK cattle born after July 31, 1996 can now fall under the same protection measures as adopted by other Member States with a moderate BSE risk. Cattle born before...

WINE & SPIRITS: WHY NON-EU COUNTRIES CAN USE EUROPEAN DESIGNATIONS.
May 14, 2004... The European Commission told the MEP that subsequent to notifying the WTO about Regulation 753/2002/EC regarding the description, designation, presentation and protection of certain wine sector products, several non-EU countries expressed...

PARMALAT CASE: NO EU FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ITALIAN VICTIMS.(EUORPEAN UNION)
May 14, 2004... In its response to the MEPs' question, the European Commission points out that the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) contributes in the Latium region to the co-financing of the Latinum rural development plan 2000/2006...

FRUIT & VEGETABLES: FRENCH PRODUCERS FEAR COMPETITION FROM NEW EU MEMBER STATES.
May 14, 2004... With the May 1 celebrations for the entry of ten new Member States into the EU barely past, cauliflower producers in Brittany have gone on the offensive, several growers dumping hundreds of tones of cabbages on the roads of Finistere in protest...

GENETIC ENGINEERING: "SAVE OUR SEEDS" PETITION FOR GMO LABELLING.(genetically modified organism)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... The "Save our Seeds" group, representing 300 farming, ecological, union, and co-operative distribution organisations, denounced the Commission draft Directive as "illegal, non-scientific, unjust and completely unnecessary". "These thresholds...

BIOFUELS: FRENCH PRODUCERS PROTEST AGAINST PROPOSAL TO OPEN MARKET TO MERCOSUR.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... The European proposal has not surprisingly been welcomed by Brazil, the world's leading ethanol producer with annual output of 141 million hectolitres (37% of global production). The French groups argue such imports "would run counter to...

ANIMAL WELFARE: TRANSPORT DAMAGES ANIMAL HEALTH CONCLUDES EFSA REPORT.(European Food Safety Authority)
May 14, 2004... The report makes specific recommendations for different species and sets out guidelines for loading, unloading and transporting livestock. It gives its view on many of the topics which caused fierce debate at the Council, advising animals to be...

OVER-FISHING NOT THE ONLY THREAT TO FISH STOCKS.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Over-fishing is not the only threat to fish stocks, the EurOCEAN European Conference on Marine Science and Ocean Technology in Galway heard on May 12. Professor Chris Frid of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne said fishing was generally...

CEJA: YOUNG FARMERS TAKE CENTRE STAGE ON BRUSSELS' ENLARGEMENT DAY.
May 14, 2004... Financial constraints are the biggest hurdle for cash-poor farmers' associations in the new Member States who want to join EU lobbies. Europe's major farming lobby, the Committee of Agricultural Organisations in the EU (COPA), is still in...

COMMISSION CLARIFIES RULES ON ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION EARTAGS.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... The European Commission has clarified rules for compulsory animal identification following requests from several Member States. Animals are supposed to be tagged on each ear to identify them shortly after birth so they can be tracked as they...

REGIONAL POLICY: COMMISSION PLANS ONE SINGLE FUND FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT.(Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe)
May 14, 2004... The CPMR provided an important forum for representatives from European regions, national Agriculture Ministries, universities, farming lobbies and other associations to discuss the future of rural Europe. In its conference conclusions published...

OECD WORKSHOP ADMITS EXTENT OF ILLEGAL FISHING IS HARD TO MEASURE.(Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... All hands will be needed on deck to tackle the persistent problem of illegal fishing world-wide, an OECD workshop has concluded. Held on April 29-30 at the Paris base of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the workshop...

COPA WOMEN'S COMMITTEE ELECTS NEW PRESIDENT.(Karen Serres)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... The Women's Committee of the EU farm lobby COPA elected Karen Serres as its new President on May 6. Ms Serres was the first Vice-President of the French female farmers' association, Commission Nationale des Agricultrices. She currently is a...

IRISH AGRICULTURE MINISTER CALLS FOR MORE EFFORTS AGAINST WORLD HUNGER.(Noel Treacy)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Speaking at an FAO conference in Montpellier, France, on May 6, Ireland's Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Noel Treacy called upon countries to commit all their efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and reduce hunger....

WEST AFRICAN BANANA GROWERS DENOUNCE LATIN AMERICAN TARIFF DATA.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Banana growers from the Ivory Coast and Cameroon are refuting data cited by Latin American banana producers which suggests switching from a tariff-quota system to a tariff-only system for imports would see production move from Latin America to...

CALENDAR OF EVENTS IN SUMMER 2004.(Calendar)
May 14, 2004... MAY 17 Brussels, Belgium - International Policy Council seminar on "Agriculture Trade Negotiations: Politics and Prospects" 18 - 20 Warsaw, Poland - IFE Poland, International Food, Drink and Hospitality Exhibition www.ifepoland.com...

NEW PUBLICATION.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
May 14, 2004... "La brevetabilite des innovations biotechnologiques appliquees a l'Homme ("Patentability of biotechnolgy applications for human use") CHEMTOB-CONCE Marie-Catherine, GALLOCHAT Alain Edition TECHNIQUE & DOCUMENTATION de LAVOISIER - 2004...

FOOD SUPPLEMENTS: VITAMIN C MAY BE OF LOW ACUTE TOXICITY.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The Commission asked EFSA to derive an upper level for the intake of vitamin C from food that is unlikely to pose a risk of adverse health effects. According to EFSAs experts, vitamin C intake is of low acute toxicity and, overall, acute...

FOOD SAFETY: SCIENTISTS SAY SILICON NOT ESSENTIAL.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The Commission requested EFSA to derive an upper level for the intake of silicon from food that is unlikely to pose a risk of adverse health effects. The Scientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies states that silicon has not...

WINE: COMPETITION FROM NEW WORLD EXPORTS ON THE UP.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... French wine exports grew in value by 2.3% to Euro 5.76 billion but shrank in volume compared to 2002 by 2.4%, according to the French association of wine and spirit exporters (FEVS). There is cause for concern in the Old Continent because its...

WTO: ENVIRONMENTAL ACTVISTS DEPLORE ATTACK ON RIGHT TO SAY NO TO GM-FOOD.
May 28, 2004... The signatures were delivered after the inauguration of the public symposium of the WTO (May 25-27) by its Director-General, Supachai Panitchpakdi, the European Commissioner for Trade, Pascal Lamy, and others. Alexandra Wandel, Trade Campaigner...

GENETIC ENGINEERING: UN REPORT FEEDS CONTROVERSY ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES.(United Nation)
May 28, 2004... FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf said: "Neither the private nor the public sector has invested significantly in new genetic technologies for the so-called 'orphan crops' such as cowpea, millet, sorghum and tef that are critical for the food...

PESTICIDES: FRANCE BANS GAUCHO ON SWEETCORN TO PROTECT BEES.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... France has banned the use of the insecticide Gaucho on sweet corn after a long campaign by French beekeepers who accuse it of killing off hives. The ban, announced on May 26, will last until the European Commission carries out its next...

COMMISSION WELCOMES NEW EURO-MED FISH INDUSTRY GROUP.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The new Euro-Mediterranean fisheries organisation Medisamak was a "very encouraging development in the search for sustainable fisheries in this region", Fish Commissioner Franz Fischler said on May 14. "Clearly, Mediterranean stakeholders agree...

EU SHEEP AND GOAT NUMBERS DECLINING.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The number of sheep in the EU fell by 1.6% to 86.3 million head in December 2003 compared with the previous year, according to figures released by the EU statistical agency Eurostat on April 28. This downward trend started in 1998 following two...

EU/ROMANIA/BULGARIA: SOFIA HOPES TO WRAP UP ACCESSION TALKS, EU FARM PAYMENT OFFER.
May 28, 2004... Romania farm payments. Romania's EU farm payments would be calculated on figures from some of the worst harvests in its recent history, according to the EU's latest offer in its accession negotiations with Romania. The new reference period...

FARM COUNCIL: MINISTERS RESPOND TO AUDITORS' REPORT ON FARM INCOMES.
May 28, 2004... The Council said it realised it was not always possible to have overall figures (or precision indicators) to reflect the variety of sources and methodologies used by statisticians. It encouraged the efforts to find a general indicator for the...

COPA-COGECA SAY WTO OFFERS PUT FAMILY FARMS AT RISK, CPE ATTACKS CAP.(European Farmers' Co-ordination)(Common Agricultural Policy)(World Trade Organisation)(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The EU is risking the future of family farming in Europe with its latest trade offers in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks, according to two major EU farm lobbies. "It is simply unacceptable that the future of family farms, which society...

EU MILK COLLECTION UP BY 0.7% FOR FIRST 11 MONTHS OF 2003-2004.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The milk supply to EU dairies went up by 0.7% in the first 11 months of the 2003-2004 season despite last Summer's extreme heat and some national efforts to limit milk deliveries at the end of the season. Figures from the EU statistical agency...

FAO AND OIE CALL FOR FUNDS TO STOP SPREAD OF DISEASE.(World Organisation for Animal Health )(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... More money is needed to check the growing trend of animal diseases spreading across borders, two major animal health organisations said on May 25. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the...

LATEST WHEAT PRODUCTION FORECASTS FOR 2003-2004.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The International Grains Council (IGC) has revised upwards its forecast for wheat output during the 2003-2004 marketing year to 553 million tonnes, just 1 million tonne more than last month's estimate, it said in its latest monthly report...

EU/WTO: DEVELOPING COUNTRIES VOICE TRADE CONCERNS.(European Union)(World Trade Organization)(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Mr Vashee called for assistance from developed countries to build the necessary infrastructure for exporting food and meeting sanitary and phytosanitary standards (SPS). He also warned that progress at the working group level of the WTO...

EU/SWAZILAND: FVO MISSION PROMPTED MEAT EXPORT BAN.(Food and Veterinary Office)(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Swaziland authorities suspended meat exports to the EU immediately after Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) experts listed a series of animal health problems during a mission last November. The final FVO mission report (1), published on May 26,...

CALENDAR OF EVENTS IN SUMMER 2004.(Calendar)
May 28, 2004... MAY 27 - 29 Bundoran, Ireland - DG Fish Conference "Steering towards 2007-2013 - What financial support for the common fisheries policy and coastal zone development?" 31 - June 1 Westport, Ireland - "Improving Living Conditions and...

NEW UK CENTRE TO RESEARCH ALTERNATIVES TO ANIMAL TESTING.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The UK said on May 21 it would set up a new centre to research alternatives to animal testing. The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research will report to the Office for Science and Technology which...

PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT PRIVATISES 49% OF AGUAS DE PORTUGAL.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The Portuguese Government will privatise up to 49% of the public company Aguas de Portugal (AdP), announced the Minister for Urban Affairs, Territorial Planning and Environment Amilcar Theias. This operation is part of the public company's...

COMMISSION CONFIRMS DAWN RAIDS IN FOREST PRODUCT PRICE-FIXING PROBE.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The European Commission has confirmed that, on May 25, it raided the premises of some of the major producers of paper and forest products in Europe on suspicion of cartel agreements or other illegal price-fixing arrangements. Following the...

COMMISSION APPROVES CARLYLE'S PURCHASE OF SAPROGAL.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The European Commission has granted regulatory clearance for private equity firm Carlyle Group to acquire Spain's Saprogal S.A., active in the production and supply of animal feed and pet food. Saprogal was previously owned by US food giant...

BELGIAN SUPERMARKET WITHDRAWS FREE-RANGE EGGS.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Belgian supermarket chain Delhaize withdrew its own-brand free-range eggs after the Belgian Food Agency (FAVV) found high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), reports said on May 19. FAVV said it found PCB levels between 500 and 1,000...

FROZEN FOOD FIRM SHUNS SCOTTISH FARMED SALMON.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Frozen food firm Birds Eye said on May 19 it would only use wild Pacific salmon following fears over chemical residues in Scottish salmon. A report in the influential US magazine Science sparked a salmon scare in January when it singled out...

EU SETS ANTI-DUMPING DUTIES UP TO 48.5% ON OKOUME PLYWOOD IMPORTS.(European Union)(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The European Commission has set provisional anti-dumping duties of up to 48.5% on Chinese imports of okoume plywood - a high-quality plywood, made with okoume wood grown in West Africa, which has a wide range of uses in the building industry....

EUROPEAN COMMISSION: REPORT ON THE RATES OF EXCISE DUTY APPLIED ON ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.
May 28, 2004... The European Commission report published on May 26 looks at excise duties on alcohol and alcoholic beverages and advocates a rise of 24% on the minimum level of excise duty to maintain this value in real terms. This must be done to keep pace...