"The E-coli crisis has highlighted the need for an appropriate response mechanism to market crisis within the EU. In this light, the European Parliament and the Council undertake to act swiftly on related transfer requests from the Commission or, after examination of the scope for reallocating authorised appropriations, on an amending budget to be proposed by the Commission in case of an exceptional market crisis in the fruit and vegetable sector requiring the definition of specific emergency measures as foreseen in Article 191 of Regulation No 1234/2007 ("Single CMO" Regulation), in the spirit of the Commission's proposal to dispose of mechanisms to prevent future crisis through producers organisations.
For more information:
E-coli Crisis

In 2011, the value of EU27 agricultural output at producer prices is estimated to have increased by 7.5%, mainly due to an increase in the value of both crop production (+8.0%) and animal production (+7.8%) in real terms.
In crop production, the increase in value is due to both a rise in prices (+5.4%) and in volume (+2.5%).
Prices are rising for most groups of crops, except fresh vegetables (-10.1%), plants and flowers (-1.1%) and olive oil (-0.9%). The sharpest increases are recorded for cereals (+18.9%), oil seeds (+18.4%), sugar beet (+3.6%) and wine (+2.3%).
The volumes of most products are rising, in particular sugar beet (+13.7%), wine (+4.6%) potatoes (+4.2%) and fruits (+3.3%). A decline in volume is seen only for olive oil and plants and flowers (both -2.2%).
The increase in the value of animal production in 2011 is the result of a rise in both producer prices (+6.7%) and volume (+1.1%). Prices are rising for milk (+9.1%), poultry (+8.7%), cattle (+8.6%), sheep and goats (+6.4%) and pigs (+4.3%), while they are falling for eggs (-5.3%). The volume is increasing for sheep and goats (+2.3%), poultry (+1.9%), cattle (+1.5%) and milk production (+1.1%), and slightly decreasing for eggs (-0.9%).
EU27 agricultural input costs (intermediate consumption) are expected to rise by 9.7% in real terms, mainly due to an increase in prices (+9.1%). The rise in input prices is driven by increases for feeding stuff (+16.8%), fertilisers and soil improvers (+14.6%), energy and lubricants (+11.8%), seeds and planting stocks (+4.3%) and maintenance of buildings (+3.8%).
For more information:
EU Agri prices

On 20 December was published into Official Journal L336 the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) no 1333/2011 of 19 December 2011 laying down marketing standards for bananas, rules on the verification of compliance with those marketing standards and requirements for notifications in the banana sector.
The marketing standards applicable to bananas falling within CN code 0803 00, excluding plantains, fig bananas and bananas intended for processing, are laid down in Annex I of the regulation.
Those marketing standards shall apply to bananas originating in third countries at the stage of release for free circulation, to bananas originating in the Union at the stage of first landing at a Union port, and to bananas delivered fresh to the consumer in the producing region at the stage of leaving the packing shed.
Before release for free circulation in the Union, bananas imported from third countries shall be subject to checks on their conformity with the marketing standards referred to in Article 1 in the Member State of first unloading in the Union, subject to Article 9.
For more detailed information on banana standard please download the Regulation from the site:
Banana marketing standard