§ Mr. BreedTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with his European counterparts about establishing a legal cross-border market for dairy quotas. [131818]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 21 July 2000]: We have considered in the past the establishment of a legal cross-border market for milk quotas with the Commission and our European partners. There is no real support for this. Some member states regard the retention of quota in certain less favoured areas as a vital means of maintaining rural employment and are therefore reluctant to support 1117W such a move. Others are not prepared to contemplate the transfer of national assets to producers in another member state. The Commission has no enthusiasm for this either.