Potato World vision Europe, a nuisance or a necessity? If you drive through Brussels in the direction of Wetstraat, you not only see offices of the European Union everywhere, but also those of all kinds of lobbyist organisations. Europatat, the European potato trade organisation is among them. The NAO and another fourteen European national potato organisations are members of Europatat, as are thirty trade merchants from different countries. Europatat is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, time to consider utility and necessity. The seed potato and consumption potato sectors have always been able to work without European subsidies or market regulation. An open market, without too many trade barriers and a great deal of attuning among countries. And that’s the reason for establishing Europatat. With the current internal European market we’re also seeing that Brussels is drawing up and prescribing an increasing amount of legislation and regulations. This is necessary, but sometimes difficult as well, because you must be near the source to be able to provide relevant information, be part of the processes and exert your influence. I’m thinking of CAP 2015 (Common Agricultural Policy), for example, where the trade is not very happy about market regulation. Where harmonization of European inspection standards and systems is concerned, we’d like to maintain high quality standards and requirements, we don’t want to lower European standards for everyone. I’m thinking of the phytosanitary regulations that are going to be renewed yet again, just like the trade barriers for export to countries outside the EU. It carries much more weight if the EU takes action than an individual Member State or an exporter. Europe is not about being a nuisance or necessary. Europe is a given! It has certainly brought the Dutch potato sector a great deal of good. It is therefore good that both the NAO and a number of potato merchants are members of Europatat. This is the way to be heard, whereby opinion and vision can be geared to all members within Europatat and discussed within the various committees, with members of the European Parliament, and with high European officials. That’s how it works. That’s why I queried: a nuisance or a necessity? Neither, Europe is Essential! Kees van Arendonk Chairman of NAO and Europatat PW-ACTUA Butter opens new location in Hungary Recently Butter Group decided to open a branch in southern Europe, in addition to branches in The Netherlands, Poland and the UK. “We have chosen a location in Györ in Hungary, near the Austrian border. From this location, Hungarian lorry combinations will serve our customers in the southern parts of Europe”, director Cees Butter says. With a new branch in Hungary Cees Butter hopes to further consolidate the current position in potato transport. Butter has noticed that in recent years the working field has expanded more and more towards southern Europe. “Companies increasingly opt for the use of isolated lightweight belted bulk trailers for long distances so they can keep on driving during extreme temperatures, with fewer risks of damage to the product. Supply of information has also gained greater importance. As a result, the Butter Group has seen a considerable increase in the number of loading and unloading addresses in Southern Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary and Rumania, creating the need for a branch in Southern Europe. Jeroen Gaal, one of our experienced Dutch staff members will head the new company in Hungary, ensuring that the quality of service will be the same as at our other branches”, Butter tells us. ● Potato World 2013 • number 1 7 Pagina 6
Pagina 8Interactieve digi-studiegids, deze brochure of onderzoeksrapport is levensecht online geplaatst met Online Touch en bied het online bladerbaar publiceren van eflyers.
Potatoworld 2013/1 Lees publicatie 27Home