Brussels, 23/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 21 May in Brussels, the EU Council of Ministers adopted without debate the regulation allowing the continuation of compensation measures for the period 2007 to 2013 to the outermost regions of the EU. The compensation system mainly aims to facilitate the transport and sale of fishery products (see EUROPE 9415 on the opinion of the EP and EUROPE 9319 on the European Commission's initial proposal).
Under the regulation, the total annual amount of compensation will not exceed €15 million over the period 2007-2013 for the Portuguese islands (€4.28 million for the Azores and Madeira), Spanish islands (€5.84 million for the Canary Islands) and for French overseas territories (€4.86 million for French Guiana and Réunion).
The compensation scheme is in line with the common fisheries policy rules and the Commission's commitment to assist outermost regions to overcome their specific difficulties (economic development lagging behind compared to the continent). The first compensation scheme had been set up in 1992 and, at the time, concerned the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. It has been gradually extended to the French territories. The last scheme took effect in 2003 and ended on 31 December 2006. (lc)