European farmers organisation Copa-Cogeca has welcomed the decision this morning (19 October) by EU ministers to back more urgent measures designed to succour Europe’s hard-pressed dairy sector.

Ministers agreed to include the industry amongst those eligible for swiftly released subsidies upon sudden and difficult falls in price and demand.

The European Parliament should approve the move by Wednesday. This would allow finance ministers to release EUR280m (US$417.8m) to dairy producers on 19 November - a sum the European Commission said it was prepared to offer.

Copa-Cogeca said it supported the initiative, which it said involves “immediate action to help solve the catastrophic situation in the EU dairy sector.”