Seven EU Member States (including France and Poland), heavily affected by the consequences of the drought, have applied to the European Commission for a derogation to increase the rate of advances on 2019 direct aids under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) from 50 to 70%.
Usually, when the conditions are met, the Commission can authorise Member States to pay an advance of 50% of CAP direct payments from 16 October, the beginning of the following year's budget year, instead of 1st...