Brussels, 15/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Commission has proposed amendments to specific measures to support production of certain agricultural products in the Aegean archipelago (which counts 100,000 inhabitants). Proposed amendments to the 1993 Regulation (specific measures for certain agricultural products on these islands) will allow: - to extend the Regulation's field of application so as to include the import of wheat and aid to the transport of cotton seed; - increase the number of eligible beehives; - a 15% increase in the standard of rate of aid under the rules governing rural development. Set up to maintain practices of sustainable development, this regulation aims in particular to promote a series of activities on the islands, an to preserve agricultural and natural resources.
This regulation provides for three main aid schemes: - supplying the islands with products that are essential to human consumption (flour, plus wheat as proposed, animal feed); - support for agricultural production (beef and veal, potatoes, olive-growing, vine-growing, honey); - investments in farms and in the processing and marketing of agricultural products. The first two chapters will be financed by the agricultural budget (EAGGF), and the latter by the Structural Funds for Greece. The cost of these measures is estimated at between 25 and 26 million euro a year from the Community budget.