Brussels, 17/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 17 May in Brussels, the French minister for agriculture was pleased to announce that the European Commission had given its agreement to an early payment on 16 October (instead of December) of 80% of the suckler cow premium. Bruno Le Maire explained that France was expected to provide the Commission with supplementary information regarding the drought on its territory. The Commission will not be able to agree on this payment until it has received these data (in the next few weeks).
Following intense diplomatic negotiations at the weekend, Le Maire informed the press: “We have obtained the formal support of 12 out of 27 member states and no state has opposed France's proposal.” The 12 countries that supported the French demand are Cyprus, Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Austria, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Hungary. The early payment of these premiums and national measures “will provide a little oxygen to cattle rearers, who have been particularly affected by the drought”, explained the French minister. He added that “this is an important victory to us but it has not settled all the difficulties facing rearers, far from it”. France is also hoping that the Commission will agree to the early payment of 50% of decoupled aid. (L.C./transl.fl)