EXPECTED changes to the common EU agricultural policy envisage that as of next year member states should provide for subsidies for new agricultural products.
This transpired at a two-day conference entitled "Common Agricultural Policy and EU Enlargement - Opportunities and Prospects," which was organised in Sofia on March 15 and 16 by the European Commission (EC).
Until now, the EC has been allocating direct payments, mainly for crops and cattle breeding. As of next year, EU money will flow in for the production of cotton, hops, sugar, fruit, vegetables, nuts and fodder.
Dirk Anner, deputy director of the agriculture department of the European Commission, who attended the conference, said that EU expenditures for the area of agriculture had been mapped out as far as 2013 and Bulgaria and Romania had been taken into consideration. The money, which is expected to be directed to both countries, will stand at 45.5 billion euro in 2006 and is expected to go up to reach 50.5 billion euro in 2013.
Franz Fischler, European Commissioner on agriculture and fisheries, who also visited Bulgaria, said that after the accession of the 10 new aspirants to the EU, Bulgaria will not lose its European markets, but, what is more, it will also enjoy better export opportunities.
"Bulgaria will be able to export agricultural produce to all 25 countries in the Euro zone without experiencing restrictions, so Bulgarian companies can count on their organic agricultural products."
With Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Mehmed Dikme, Fischler visited a private farm specialising in biological cattle-breeding and a licensed dairy which has already made its name in the business of exporting white and yellow cheese to EU countries.
Asked whether Bulgaria could count on the pre-accession funds not used by the countries which are to enter the EU in May, Fischler said changes in the SAPARD agreement with this country were out of the question. Any change should be first co-ordinated with all member states. He added, however, that Bulgaria might expect increasing subsidies as provided for in the initial agreement. For this country these should go up pursuant to the following scheme: a 20 per cent increase is expected in 2004; 30 per cent in 2005; and 40 per cent in 2006. So far, Bulgaria has been receiving 52 million euro under SAPARD pre-accession programme a year. An additional 62.4 million euro is expected to find its way to Bulgaria in the next three years.
According to Fischler, one of the main problems Bulgaria will have to tackle in the coming years is related to the application of veterinary and sanitary requirements of the EU. In some sectors, such as meat production, there are no set transitional periods for meeting veterinary conditions and meat producers will have to start applying the requirements as of 2007. Otherwise, they would be not able to sell their produce in Europe, but only on the local market, Fischler said.
During the closing session of the conference in Sofia, Fischler outlined the achievements of his team during the present term of the Commission. The term of the Commission comes to an end in October this year. Through the announced future reforms in the common agricultural policy of the EU, Fischler bid for another term in office as a European Commissioner. This is already his second term as European Commissioner on agriculture. In Sofia, he said he would be working for the development of rural regions in the new EU members and for the improvement of incomes of the population and farmers working in those regions.