French dairy farmers call for Europe-wide strike

(PARIS) - French dairy farmers on Thursday called for strike action to protest plummeting milk prices and urged their European counterparts to join them.

Several hundred European farmers met in central Paris to coordinate their protest under the umbrella group, the European Milk Board (EMB), representing about a third of Europe's dairy producers.

"I call on all French and European producers to halt milk deliveries after this evening's milking," said Pascal Massol, president of the French independent milk producers association (APLI).

German and Dutch milk producers said they supported the French call but were barred by law to go on strike in their countries.

Dairy prices have collapsed due to low demand caused by the economic crisis. Since 2007, milk prices have in some countries halved.

The Paris meeting came after European Union farm ministers failed to agree on an aid package for the sector during a Brussels meeting on Monday.

In November, EU agriculture ministers agreed to lift milk production quotas by one percent per year before scrapping them 2014-2015.

The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, has agreed to introduce limited aid but has refused to go back on its decision to scrap the quota system.