Brussels, 29/08/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 29 August, the European Commission formally adopted the text of the delegated regulation on the emergency market measures in favour of producers of perishable fruit and vegetables affected by the Russian ban on imports of agricultural products from the EU. This text will be published in the Official Journal of the EU on Saturday 30 August.
The emergency measures provide support for withdrawals from the market (for free distribution or for other destinations, such as composting), and compensation for green harvesting or non-harvesting. All producers will be eligible for the support, whether or not they are members of producer organisations. The products concerned are: tomatoes, carrots, cabbages, peppers, cauliflowers, broccoli, cucumbers, gherkins, mushrooms, plums, soft fruit, fresh table grapes, kiwi fruit, apples and pears.
The measures will be applied retroactively from 18 August. They will run until the end of November with a budget of €125 million, with €82 million for apples and pears. For pears, for example, the aid is €23.85 per 100 kilograms if used for free distribution (and €15.9 /100 kg if used for other purposes).
The support for withdrawal for free distribution will be 100% EU funded. For distribution for other destinations and green harvesting/non-harvesting, the support will be: 75% EU funded for producers which are members of producer organisations (25% to be funded by these organisations), 50% EU funded for producers which are not.
The member states must update the Commission twice a week on the quantities and the value of the measures taken by product group (apples/pears and others). (LC)