Poles in payment talks
Poles in payment talks
POLAND has said it may accept reduced direct income payments for its farmers when it joins the EU, but has rejected the idea of waiting 10 years to get the full amount.
In Brussels for discussions on the EU Commissions enlargement proposals, Polish agriculture minister Jarowslaw Kalinowski acknowledged his farmers would not receive 100% of the aid from day one.
But he insisted the transition period should be no more than three years, to coincide with the end of the Berlin agreement on EU funding.
Thereafter, a new funding package will be negotiated and Mr Kalinowski believes full direct payments for new EU members should be built into the budget. "We will seek a balance after 2006."
Commission proposals for 25% direct income payments in year one with extra resources pumped in to rural development, would leave many Polish farmers worse off than they are now, he said.
This would compromise the Polish governments attempt to win approval for EU enlargement in a referendum planned for June next year. Mr Kalinowski said farmers were already sceptical and those politicians who opposed joining the EU had become more vocal since the Brussels plans were published.
But EU farm commissioner Franz Fischler said he favoured a longer transition. Moving to full subsidies from 2006 would have a negative impact on Poland.
He also called for better statistics on the state of Polish agriculture, so a proper economic analysis could be done. *
• For more on enlargement see Business, page 26.