USDA/FAS GAIN Report E24049

Report Highlights

Data from the EU grain market management committee of the European Commission is now available on line via http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/markets/crops/index_en.htm

The data, updated weekly, includes coverage of current EU import and export license certificates, export subsidy levels, trade flows with central and eastern Europe and new legislation affecting the EU grains market.

The grains unit of DG Agriculture in the European Commission holds weekly management committee meetings, where measures to manage the EU cereals policy (for example, levels of export subsidies to be granted, import and export license policy, etc.) are discussed with Member State government representatives and farmer’s grain organizations. This data will be updated on Thursdays at 7 pm Central European Time, (1 pm U.S. East Coast time).

The data presented by the European Commission at these meetings is now available on line from:
http://forum.europa.eu.int/Public/irc/agri/cereals/library?l=/publicsdomain&vm=detailed&sb=Title

Data Available:

• Periodical instruments (APA) - Regulations fixing/modifying the import duties for cereals and export restitutions. Updated typically every two weeks.

• Licenses - Export and import licenses per cereal since the beginning of the marketing year, comparison with the same period of the last two marketing years. Updated weekly on Thursdays, at 1 pm US East Coast time.

• Import Quotas - Import of Cereals under the tariff quota on a weekly basis since the opening of the quota. Updated weekly.

• Licenses to any Central or Eastern European destination - Licenses on a monthly basis since the beginning of the marketing year

• Requests for import and export licenses - Licenses requested since the beginning of the marketing year by Member State. Updated weekly.

• Results of the Cereals Management Committee - quantities sold this week under tenders, refunds. Updated weekly.

• Resale of intervention stocks on the EU market - open tenders, quantities sold so far and quantities still to be sold. Updated weekly.

• Intervention stocks - Intervention situation by Member State and by Cereal, updated weekly.

• Regulations - New regulations relevant for the cereals sector (opening of tenders, modifications to Intervention rules, aid regimes…). Updated as necessary.

Source: European Commission:
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/04/314|0|RAPID&lg=EN&display=

For more explanation of how the EU agricultural management committee’s work, the Commission has written a guide: http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/publi/fact/comit2001/comi_en.pdf  

This report is available in PDF format at http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200403/146105651.pdf

Approved by:
Christine Strossman
U.S. Mission to the EU, Brussels
Prepared by:
Peter Talks