12/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - At the invitation of the Confagri (confederation of agricultural cooperatives of Portugal) and the UPA (union of small farmers of Estramadura, Spain), a study group of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) chaired by Spanish trade unionist Juan Mendoza Castro (UGT) will be in Tavira, Portugal, on 14 and 15 September and in Estramadura to study the possibility of improving the way the EU Solidarity Fund works, especially in the case of disasters due to drought or fires. The aim of the mission is to fuel the opinion that the Committee will give - the rapporteur being the leader of AEP (Portugal's business association), Paulo Barros Vale - regarding the Commission's proposal to increase the financial allocation of the EU Solidarity Fund and extend its scope to various disasters, fires and drought, etc. which severely affect these regions (see EUROPE 9021 and 9023 on the subject of the debate and the resolution of the European Parliament last week).