EC: Farmers Not to Expect Instant Compensation for Russian Import Ban

The European Commission has warned that farmers injured by Russia's restrictive measures are not to expect immediate compensations.

The scope of the restrictive measures, as well as their potential effect, are still being estimated and a product-by-product evaluation of the alternative items on other markets is being made, according to reports of the Bulgarian National Radio, citing Roger Waite, EU spokesman for Agriculture and Rural Development.

Waite explained that an expert-level discussion on the matter would be held on Thursday with representatives of the EU Member States, adding that a fuller picture of the situation was to be available by then, while the issue of potential compensations would take more time.

"We still believe that it is too early to discuss concrete sums. We shall not take immediate steps. We have the necessary mechanisms at our disposal, we can support farmers if problems arise, but we have to examine the potential impact first," he said.

He reminded that the new common agricultural policy rules provided the EC with greater flexibility and more opportunities to help farmers in cases of market crises when the intervention was considered necessary.

At the end of last week, caretaker Agriculture Minister Vasil Grudev sent a letter to Italian Agriculture Minister Maurizio Martina to request an extraordinary sitting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council.

Martina holds the rotating presidency of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council.

The EU agriculture ministers are to discuss the Russian ban on fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, milk and dairy imports from EU countries, as well as the compensation to producers who would be affected by the embargo.

Grudev argued that the situation called for a common EU stance, as well as swift and adequate measures to protect producers.

He claimed that the one-year Russian embargo would have a negative impact on Bulgarian producers and on agriculture in the EU in general.

Grudev's demand was backed by his counterparts from the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Finland, Belgium and Estonia.

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