US hypocrisy over farm subsidies
22 June 2000
US ‘hypocrisy’ over farm subsidies
THE EU has accused the USA of hypocrisy for calling for a reduction in global farming subsidies while approving a huge aid package for its own farmers.
This attack came on Wednesday (22 June) after the USA approved $7.1 billion (4.7bn) of additional aid to farmers, reports the Financial Times.
This is on top of crop insurance subsidies worth $8.2bn over five years.
Franz Fischler, EU farms commissioner, said the support severely undermines the credibility of US calls for a decrease in subsidies.
He said US farming subsidies have increased 700% since 1996.
The USA plans to press the EU to eliminate export subsidies at World Trade Organisation talks on agriculture.
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