12/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 12 July, EU agriculture ministers, in a sense, gave their agreement in principle to the Commission proposal to extend the aid granted under the German alcohol monopoly. The derogation allows Germany to grant aid, through the federal monopoly administration for alcohol (Bundesmonopolverwaltung für Branntwein - BfB), for products which are marketed by the monopoly, after further processing as “ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin”. The derogation will expire on 31 December 2010, and the Commission is proposing to extend it until 2017, subject to conditions. (L.C./trans.rt)