USDA'S AMSTUTZ CONFIDENT OF EC OILS TAX DEFEAT
U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary
Daniel Amstutz said he was confident that a European Community,
EC, proposal to tax vegetable and marine oils and fats would
not be approved by the Community.
    Asked by Reuters if he was confident the plan eventually
would be defeated, Amstutz said, "Yes, I am, but I also know
that things like this take constant vigilance."
    The USDA official said the EC Council of Ministers held an
ad hoc meeting yesterday.
    Commenting on that meeting, he said, "So far, so good."
    Yesterday British Farm Minister Michael Jopling said enough
EC states appeared to be opposed to the proposals by the
commission for a 330 European Currency Unit a tonne tax on
vegetable oils, fats and marine oils for the moves to be
defeated.
 Reuter
