Monday, November 24, 2008

Quota

"European agriculture ministers kept holding marathon farm subsidy reform talks Thursday after failing to reach a deal overnight.
...

The most contentious point in the bid to reform the bloc's controversial Common Agricultural Policy is the gradual lifting of milk quotas in coming years, with the quotas set to disappear entirely by 2015.

Germany has been insisting on special funding to support milk producers in difficult regions such as mountainous areas, where the producers are less able to handle the lifting of the quota system.

Germany, along with Austria and others, fears that a resultant drop in prices as the quota caps are lifted would jeopardize the future of farmers in mountainous regions.

Their operations are less competitive and less flexible than their counterparts on Europe's grassy plains."

Meanwhile, the same people insist that no country of the Developing World should protect its producers and prevent the collapse of their livelihoods. And they invite them to drop their puny protectionist measures and join the WTO.

Have you had your quota of double standards today?

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