The Questionable Necessity Of Changing Maize Intervention

The EU took clear steps to suppress and abandon the intervention of maize in 2006. Originally the measure should have been revised in the course of the “Health Check”. But the European Commission (EC) rendered the minimal quality requirement for maize stricter in the intervention period starting 1 November 2006. Later the EC proposed to finish the intervention of maize. According to that decision the intervention of maize exists in the marketing year of 2007/08 and 2008/09 with a quantity limitation but it finishes in the marketing year of 2009/10. The EC argues for the abandonment of maize intervention, because, intervention stocks of cereals have increased significantly after the accession of the 10 new member states (EU-10), and the balance of the maize market is at risk. This measure is aimed to get back the intervention to its original purpose, as a safety net. We prove in this study that the intervention stock of cereal has not significantly increased after the enlargement in 2004 and it is not a reason for finishing maize intervention. The intervention stock of maize has increased since 2004 but not so significantly that it could be a reason for the abandonment of maize intervention.