European pig and poultry producers will call for IPPC to be postponed
UK - Producers from all over Europe are to call on the European Commission to postpone the introduction of IPPC - Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control - on pig and poultry units, from January 2007 to 2013.
29 April 2004
3 minute read
|
National
Pig Association  THE VOICE OF THE UK PIG INDUSTRY NPA is active on members' behalf in Brussels & Whitehall, and with processors, supermarkets & caterers - fighting for the growth and pros-perity of the UK pig industry. |
The call will come from Copa - the Committee of Agricultural Organisations in the European Union - of which NPA is an active member.
An early reaction from British producers might be "They'll never go for it in Brussels" but it should be remembered that Copa recently asked for aids to private storage and export subsidies, and the Commission quickly agreed both.
Further, the Environment Agency in Britain is currently so overwhelmed by extra responsibilities imposed by a whole raft of new European Union regulations, it might welcome postponement, argues NPA chairman Stewart Houston, who, with NPA policy manager Ann Peterson, represented NPA at Copa meetings in Brussels today.
He points out continental producers who have to sign up to IPPC by 2007 could be said to be making significant changes to their units, which would in turn trigger an earlier introduction of the continental 2013 stalls ban.
The proposal to call for a postponement of IPPC comes from Dutch producers and is supported by all countries represented at Copa, in both pig and poultry sectors. There is considerable anxiety on the continent about how the 2007 deadline is to be met.
"It is only a proposal and there are many obstacles to overcome," said Stewart Houston tonight. "But who can say how Brussels will respond?"
Source: National Pig Association - 28th April 2004
