Under the current arrangements, which were agreed following the Agenda 2000 negotiations, the milk quota regime is to continue until 2008. In those negotiations I strongly supported the continuation of the quota regime. There were some member states, in particular the UK, Italy, Sweden and Denmark, which argued at that time for the abolition of the system.
As part of the Agenda 2000 Agreement, provision was made for a mid-term review of the regime in 2003 on the basis of a Commission report, with a view to allowing the present quota arrangements to run out after 2006. It is now likely that the review will be brought forward to next year. It is to be expected that some member states, which were in favour of the abolition of quotas during the Agenda 2000 negotiations, will adopt a similar stance in the context of the review. However, any change to the current regulations can be made only if there is a qualified majority in Council in favour of such a change.
When discussions on the review get under way I will, of course, seek an outcome which is best for the development of the dairy sector.