IDM | Events
About 200 representatives of the EU dairy industry and EU officials heard about the Brexit and the Single Market at the EDA Dairy
Policy Conference (photo: IDM)
EDA Dairy Policy
Conference 2017
Single Market and Brexit: Urgent action is required
The EDA Dairy Policy Conference 2017, held on
22 March in Brussels, underlined the importance
of dairy for jobs, growth and investment
throughout the Union as well as the
importance of a well-functioning Single Market,
undisturbed from national barriers. Naturally, the
Brexit was also in the focus. IDM compiles the
highlights of this important gathering.
Michel Nalet, president of the European Dairy
Association (EDA), said that the 60th anniversary
of the Treaty of Rome and 25 years EU
Single Market, that are being celebrated this
year, were good reasons to place Europe into
the center of the conference. However, given
actual tendencies for renationalisation like mandatory
origin labelling – which is unacceptable
50 · 4-5 2017 | international-dairy.com
for Nalet, urgent action is required both on European
and Member State level. The EU dairy
industry needs a strong home base in its 500
million consumer market to be able to make
sure here are jobs, growth and investments in
the rural areas of the Continent.
Antti Peltomäki, Deputy Director-General DG
Grow at the EU Commission, pointed out to the
High Level Forum for the Food Supply Chain
that the Commission has established. The forum
will address unfair trading practices in the food
chain and barriers in the Single Market.
Peltomäki acknowledged that mandatory
origin labelling may form a barrier but the Commission
has not (yet) said yes or no to it. The
regulations put in place by several countries are
limited in time and Brussels expects reports on
how the origin labels have influenced markets
after two years.
Brexit: 31 million jobs
The EU food and beverage industry (sales of >€1
trillion, 31m jobs) has a positive trade balance but
90% of food and drink exports have to be made
against unfair trade practices, said Gilles Morel
Chairman of FoodDrinkEurope and President
Mars Chocolate Europe & Eurasia. There is a trend
towards protectionism, Morel said, and food is
often taken as hostage in political conflicts. Renationalisation
policies in Member States are not
acceptable and will ultimately lead to lower choice
and quality but higher prices, Morel added.