By Martin Banks - 25th May 2009
We have some sympathy with the farmers
Dawn Howard
Belgian police have been accused of a "gross over-reaction" to a demonstration by farmers against milk quotas.
More than 3000 farmers from all over Europe converged on Brussels on Monday to call for more "flexible" milk quotas. They are demanding the EU reverse its liberalisation of milk quotas which they say has led to a collapse in prices.
Some, however, were involved in violent clashes with police outside the council of minister's building where EU agriculture ministers were meeting. Farmers brought their cows and tractors in an attempt to blocade the building.
Stefan Hofele, a Bavarian dairy farmer, said he saw a demonstrator being "clubbed" by baton-wielding police. "It was totally unacceptable. This was a peaceful protest.There is no justification for such a gross over-reaction."
Christian Thiele, who is also a German dairy farmer, said, "I didn't see anything personally but I heard the police were very aggressive towards the demonstrators."
He added, "Today, in supermarkets, consumers pay 40 cents for a litre of milk but producers are only getting paid 20 cents."
Both were among a noisy protest by farmers from several countries, including Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands against existing milk quotas for EU farmers.
Romuald Schaber, president of the European Milk Board,which supports the action, said, "We are calling for price-stabilising measures.
"Flexible supply control that allows the volume of milk to be limited to a reasonable degree is the only chance the farmers have of being able to gain cost covering milk prices in the market."
Dawn Howard, assistant director of the Brussels office of the British Agriculture Bureau, said, "We have some sympathy with the farmers but do not believe this is the best way to go about registering their protest.
"However, it is clear that we need long-term solutions to the problems facing the industry."
Meanwhile, EU fisheries ministers are in Brussels to review rules on how much fish can be caught in EU waters.
The commission, says more than 80 per cent of Europe's fish stocks are now overfished. The global average is 28 per cent.
The current common fisheries policy, which sets quotas, aims to ensure Europe has a sustainable fishing industry and sustainable fish stocks. It is widely accepted the current annual quotas have failed.
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