Brussels, 27/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - €210 million in aid, or more? This Thursday 28 July, the European Commission is set to announce to the management committee of the EU the total amount of aid to EU vegetable producers, and how this money is to be divided up between the countries. The purpose of this aid is to compensate vegetable producers for losses brought about by the E.coli crisis.
Incomplete and insufficiently substantiated data submitted by four member states last week forced the European Commission to put back by a few days the meeting (originally scheduled for 22 July) of the management committee on the division of the envelope of aid between the 22 member states which have put forward a compensation dossier (EUROPE 10423). Cyprus, Malta, Luxembourg, Finland and Lithuania are the countries which have not made any claims for compensation.
A meeting of the management committee will take place this Thursday to agree on the final figure eligible and to start the payment procedure (the aid is likely to be paid at the end of July or early August). The EU will cover the costs of the operations to withdraw vegetables, non-harvesting and the green harvesting carried out from 26 May to 30 June. If the total costs are more than the envelope originally earmarked of €210 million, the Commission can: - either ask for a small budgetary extension (for which the prior approval of the staff of the budget commissioner will be required); - or apply a reduction key to the aid (a coefficient for the reduction of the aid) to keep within the overall level of €210 million. (L.C./transl.fl)