Strasbourg, 05/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) has voted to allow farmers from the outermost regions and the smaller islands of the Aegean Sea to continue to benefit from European support. In 2013, banana producers in the outermost regions will receive a further €40 million. The EP has decided to keep up the overall aid payments to farmers of the outermost regions and the Aegean Sea, adopting reports on the subject by Gabriel Mato Adrover (EPP, Spain), by 579 votes to 82, with 35 abstentions, and by Georgios Papastamkos (Greece) by 600 votes to 38, with 50 abstentions.
Parliament's vote confirms the informal agreement reached in Council last November. Support payments make it possible for producers to offset the effect of being located in such outlying places, and will help them compete with third countries.
Outermost regions. Banana producers of the outermost regions will, in 2013, receive an additional €40 million. The Canary Islands will receive the lion's share, €20.24 million, followed by the French overseas departments (€18.52 million). The Portuguese islands of the Azores and Madeira will share €1.24 million. The rapporteur, Gabriel Mato Adrover, said: “This agreement shows that the outermost regions remain at the heart of our policy even though most EU countries are cutting their budgets. The €40 million will offset the effects of the latest EU tariff reductions on imports from third countries. We also managed to maintain funding at current levels”. The ceiling for European aid intended for the outermost regions will not change this year, remaining at €653.04 million (€278.41 million for the French overseas departments, €106.21 million for the Azores and Madeira, and €268.42 million for the Canary Islands).
Aegean Sea. Aid for farmers on the islands of the Aegean Sea has also been maintained. The annual ceiling for aid is fixed at €23.93 million. Papastamkos considers that “by supporting farming in the Aegean islands, the EU contributes to the economic survival of their inhabitants, boosts their local agricultural production and helps to preserve their agricultural heritage”.
Trade agreements. By adopting the report on agriculture in the outermost regions, MEPs also underlined the need to better assess the impact that new trade agreements signed with third countries can have on farmers of those regions. (MD/transl.jl)