Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

To be clear on this matter, there is no appetite in France to reopen the milk quota negotiations on the soft landing. We are asking the French minister to consider agreeing to a butterfat correction, which would not be popular among French farmers. The overriding concern for France and Germany is to retain the milk quota regime as it stands until 2015. They believe any flexibility or loosening of the current arrangement could lead to a reduction in milk prices as a result of increases in supply. We do not share that assessment. While there is not a strong appetite in France or Germany for revisiting the milk quota issue, we have, for the first time, secured a response which suggested both countries would consider constructively the issue of a butterfat correction. Such a correction would be very helpful in terms of this year's milk quota but would not offer any solutions in the two subsequent years. We will continue to pursue this issue, working with the French and trying to convince the German Minister for Agriculture who has been absolutely resistant on this matter, even on the possibility of a butterfat correction. While we have much diplomatic work to do to make progress on this issue, there is no shortage of effort on our part.

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