30% of EU Countries' Farm Payments to Go to "Green" Measures

A woman works at the vineyard of `Mas de Chimeres` during a traditional grape harvest of organic wine in Octon, South of France, 17 September 2013. Photo by EPA/BGNES

At least 30% of the EU funds earmarked for agriculture will go to "green" measures, according to a decision of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee of the European Parliament, which votes Monday on a Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform package.

According to reports of the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), the reform, which is to take effect as of 2014, envisages a 25% aid supplement during the first 5 years in addition to the existing assistance for young farmers.

Green measures include agri-environmental measures, measures for supporting organic farming, and measures aimed at supporting environmentally-friendly projects.

A plenary vote on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the 2014-2020 period in the European Parliament is expected in November and it must be officially adopted by end-2013.

A few days ago, Agriculture Minister Dimitar Grekov announced that Bulgaria would receive a total of EUR 2.338 B from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) in the period 2014-2020.

Grekov informed the media about the agricultural budget after a sitting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels.

He boasted that the total allocation exceeded the initially anticipated amount of around EUR 2 B for the new programming period.

At the sitting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council on September 23, the ministers agreed that the CAP allocations for rural development would amount to EUR 84.936 B for the next programming period.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!