Brussels, 14/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, speaking on Wednesday 14 December, was scathing of the “unacceptable” refusal by a number of member states to help the most underprivileged Europeans “in this period of crisis”. “I am not wholly satisfied with the agreement” brokered by France and Germany to ensure that the European aid scheme for the most needy is maintained for two years in exchange for its ultimate abolition, he said in a debate in the European Parliament (EP) plenary session in Strasbourg. It was unacceptable and difficult to understand, given the urgency of the situation, that countries can turn their backs on social solidarity in this time of crisis, he railed.
France, which backed retention of the scheme, reach a compromise with Germany which ensured that the scheme will be funded for the next two years, on condition that the EU bring the programme to an end in 2014.
The Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) confirmed on Monday 12 December that the aid programme for the most underprivileged will continue in 2012 and 2013 under the conditions set out in the Franco-German agreement. Following the agreement of the EP agriculture committee that same day, the EP sent a letter to the Council formalising matters. Everything, then, is in place for the scheme to be implemented in 2012 and 2013. In the agreement, it was decided to implement the scheme in 2012 and 2013 only, under current conditions (100% EU funding), with the option of going to the markets to complement EU stocks. Application of arrangements will be retrospective, as the regulation will only be adopted at the start of next year. The planned budget is of the order of €500 million for each of the two years. (LC/transl.rt)