Vol. 567 No. 3
59 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the way in which the milk quota proposals as outlined by Commissioner Fischler will impact on a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13934/03]
The mid-term review proposals are still under discussion and it is not possible to say what the final outcome will be at this stage.
According to the Commission proposals a person who had his quota leased during the 2003-04 milk quota year would not have any entitlement to a dairy cow premium, since the premium is to be based on the quota available on the holding on 31 March, 2004 and would be payable to the producer who held the quota on that date. The dairy cow premium is to be paid to producers as compensation for the reduction in market support prices proposed in the mid-term review.
In relation to the milk quota itself a number of possibilities are open to the person named on the expiry of the lease: (i) the lease could be renewed for a further period with the original lessee or his-her successor; (ii) the quota could be transferred by way of sale, lease or gift with the land to which it attached to a family member as defined in the regulation provided that person is a milk producer; or (iii) the quota could be sold to a restructuring scheme – in this case it should be noted that where a person sells a milk quota into restructuring, that person's son or daughter will, subject to certain conditions, have first priority in the purchase of quota under a later restructuring scheme provided it is available.
