18/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - End of refunds on chicken. On 18 July, the EU management committee decided to reduce to zero the amount paid in export refunds on chicken meat. With reform of the CAP, the export refund instrument will be maintained but only for use during market crises. The old rate stood at €10.85 /100kg. Qualified majority at the management committee was not obtained but the Commission is now allowed to give or refuse authorisation on its own for such decisions and will do so soon. France is the main beneficiary of these measures: 95% of the quantity exported and 93.7% of the whole budget (55 million in 2013). (LC/trans.fl)