BRUSSELS, Aug 8, 2007 (AFP) - The European Commission is considering raising EU milk production quotas next year to prepare for their scrapping in 2015, a move which could satisfy growing demand and counter dairy sector price rises, a spokesman said Wednesday.

The EU's executive arm will 'consider how to achieve a soft landing' ahead of the scrapping of the quota system, said Philip Tod, spokesman for EU Trade Commissioner Markos Kyprianou.

'One measure that could be considered in that context is a (progressive) increase in the quotas,' he added.