Brussels, 18/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson restated his opposition to the European Commission's strategy on granting direct farm aid to the future EU Member States. He was speaking at the meeting in Stockholm, on Thursday, with Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who was continuing his tour of the capitals before the European Council in Brussels. "We fear a situation where an even larger number of EU Member Sates close themselves into this support system, which grows year after year (…). If things go on like this, we shall never obtain the support needed for reform of agricultural policy", said Mr Persson. "We know that some countries consider this solution to be costly. But our ambition is to find a solution that satisfies not only the current members but also the future members", replied Mr Rasmussen, who warned that blocking on the agricultural chapter should not threaten the final negotiations with candidate countries.
The Commission proposes to offer, in 2004, 25% of the direct aid amounts that are currently available for the Fifteen to the farmers of the new members, then to increase this gradually until 100% in 2013. Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are opposed to this.