Agriculture Ministers Agree on Voluntary Modulation
EU agriculture ministers struck on Monday a compromise on voluntary modulation, a scheme which had been rejected by the European Parliament last year, effectively blocking 20% of the EU's rural development aid. Agriculture Minister Iztok Jarc said Slovenia welcomed the agreement.
Last year's proposal for a voluntary modulation scheme would allow 20% of direct payments to be diverted to rural development projects, at the discretion of each member state.
The European Parliament reject the proposal, saying such a transfer could distort competition between farmers from various member states and potentially lead to a "re-nationalisation" of agriculture policies.
The new compromise, designed by Germany, which currently presides the EU, limits voluntary modulation to the UK and Portugal only, pleasing both the EP and the member states.
Slovenia is not directly affected by the voluntary modulation, however it is looking forward to the EU funds that are being made available with the blockade being lifted, Jarc said.
In the next seven years, Slovenia expects to draw close to EUR 1bn from the EU's rural development fund.
According to Jarc, the ministers also agreed on rural employment policies, stressing the need to increase competitiveness in the agricultural sector and to maintain the existing cultural settings.
The Agriculture and Fisheries Council was expected to be in session for two days, but Tuesday's proceedings have been cancelled as all items on the agenda had been discussed.
On the margins of the meeting, Minister Jarc held talks with European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Mariann Fischer Boel.
He said it was agreed in principle that the commissioner would visit Slovenia by the end of the first half of the year to discuss the preparations of Slovenia for the EU presidency.
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