ECSBulgaria

During its last meeting the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Parliament has voted a draft report and amendments to it on the Regulation EC proposal  for establishment of common rules for farmers' direct payment schemes under the Common Agricultural Policy.

The amendment, that has been put forward by Bulgarian European deputy  Evgeny Kirilov, provides the opportunity for the member states, applying Single area payment scheme, to create a national reserve formed by the unspent funds of the allocated annual budget of direct payments. Thus they could use the national reserve to grant payments  during  specific difficulties in certain sectors and regions on their territory while ensure equal treatment between farmers and to avoid the breach of market principles and distortion of competition.

The ammendment voted will have a possitive effect  mostly on the new member states, which do not have such national reserve. The final adoption of the text of the Regulation will be done by the Council  of Ministers of Agriculture and fisheries.