Notwithstanding the objective of reducing dependence on commodity products and on intervention purchases, I insisted that a reasonable period should be provided for the dairy industry to reorientate itself to a lower level of intervention availability. The original Commission proposal was for a ceiling of 30,000 tonnes per annum on intervention intake of butter and this would have been disruptive in the short term. I secured agreement, against enormous opposition and without support from any ministerial colleague in the Council, to have the intervention limits for butter improved significantly. The final agreement increases the ceiling to 70,000 tonnes initially, reducing over five years to 30,000 tonnes.