16/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - Italy's new Agriculture Minister, Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, has written to the President of the European Commission Romano Prodi to ask him to use stored rice for humanitarian aid for Africa. He explained that rice bought by the Commission could thus be used directly for food aid for needy populations rather than being resold to Member States who then either earmark it for the same use or use it for animal feed.
On a visit to Brussels, former Minister Paolo De Castro said yesterday that he is in the process of "formalising cooperation with President Prodi" (he could become a special adviser to the Commission President). EUROPE has reason to believe that Mr De Castro could be handling specific agricultural issues linked with the WTO and enlargement.