On the first part, the paper shows the stability of milk location and farming systems in Europe. After we examine the competitiveness problems (and theirs evolutions between 1984 and 1986), according to the RICA data, with two points of view : the competitiveness by costs, on the one hand, and on the other hand, the income inequalities. Three countries have a good position for the production costs, with very different inputs combinaisons : United Kingdom, Ireland and Belgium. The hierarchy of costscompetitiveness is not modified between 1984 and 1986. However the structure of costs is modified : the decrease of variable costs, notably the purchased feedstuff s, balances the increase of structure costs. Between 1984 and 1986, the incomes have a positive evolution, by the compound play of costs, prices and sizes. Finaly the dairy quotas did not indude a « homogeneity » of economic conditions of milk production in Europe. The diversity of prices, costs and incomes persists.
