February 14, 2012
European Commission probes Italy's milk fine case
The European Commission has opened an investigation against Italy over the extension granted by the Berlusconi government to dairy farmers in 2010 in paying their fines for exceeding the EU milk quotas.
The decision was made in January and published in the official gazette on Friday (Feb 10). Italy has one month to reply.
Italy has been violating for years the EU milk quota regulation enacted in 1984 and has always produced more than negotiated with Brussels.
In 2010 the Berlusconi government postponed by six months the payment of the fines for exceeding the quotas.
