Brussels, 22/09/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is about to authorise ten EU member states (Belgium, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Spain) to bring forward payment of part of the direct aid to their farmers by one and a half months. This measure is to help farmers cope with the consequences of the financial crisis and this year's poor weather.
Thanks to the measure, adopted by the EU Management Committee for Direct Payments on Wednesday 22 September, though still to be formally approved by the European Commission, up to 50% of direct payments due to be paid on 1 December 2010 may now be paid out from 16 October onwards. The Commission says the move is justified because of “the financial crisis and a subsequent decrease in income, stricter conditions to get credits in the agriculture sector, price fluctuations for certain agricultural products and adverse weather conditions”. The usual verification of compliance with eligibility conditions must, nevertheless, be carried out before payment of the advances. (L.C./transl.rt)