EU restricts accession funding to promote agricultural reform
EU - The EU is to place restrictions on aid payments to farmers in Bulgaria and Romania, unless they succesfully complete reforms in their agricutural policy.
Following the decision earlier this week, to allow after many years of discussions Romania and Bulgaria into the EU by January 1 2007, ministers revealed that the country would face close scrutiny of its policies.
José Manuel Barroso, president of the EC hailed the decision as "an historic achievement", but added - as was widely expected - that despite their progress, the countries would face stringent monitoring and possible sanctions, if longstanding reforms were not met.
These reforms along with legislative measures like stemming corruption, are particularly concerned with the speed and ability with which billions of Euros in farm and regonal aid could be distributed.
The question mark regarding these issues has led to tighter controls on improvements to the country's infrastructure and the possibility that funding may be withheld.
Source: Cee-Food Industry
José Manuel Barroso, president of the EC hailed the decision as "an historic achievement", but added - as was widely expected - that despite their progress, the countries would face stringent monitoring and possible sanctions, if longstanding reforms were not met.
These reforms along with legislative measures like stemming corruption, are particularly concerned with the speed and ability with which billions of Euros in farm and regonal aid could be distributed.
The question mark regarding these issues has led to tighter controls on improvements to the country's infrastructure and the possibility that funding may be withheld.
Source: Cee-Food Industry