The Union is providing 210 million Euros for the immediate assistance of vegetable producers - announced Commissioner Dacian Cioloş. The degree of compensation will be equal to 50% of the average vegetable selling price for 2007-2010. Members of the TÉSZ (Producers and Marketers Organisations) could acquire levels of up to 70% taking into account their Operative Programme.

The Union is compensating those farmers who have been unable to sell their produce because of the panic caused by the German E. coli epidemic. The decision applies to the widest possible sphere of farmers, including small-scale, licensed producers.

Compensation will be paid out against damage mitigation claims lodged for the period May 26-June 30, and will apply not just to cucumber, tomato and salad, but also to zucchini and paprika and peppers.

If the proposal is accepted by the Management Committee on June 14, help will reach farmers by as early as mid-July.

As has been reported, Sándor Fazekas, rotating President of the EU Agricultural Council, convened an extraordinary meeting of Agricultural Ministers for Tuesday, so farmers who have been hard hit through no fault of their own could receive compensation.

Ministers at the extremely tense, five-hour session asked the Commissioner to increase the sum of the 150 million Euro compensation budget, raise the level of indemnification, and allow the compensation to apply to other types of vegetables.

Sándor Fazekas views the fact that the Commissioner accepted all the observations of the Council of Ministers and will be putting forward a new proposal within a day as being yet another diplomatic success.

In his announcement, Mr. Cioloş also stressed that the EU is not prepared for a crisis of this type and so a solution for the handling of similar problems must be found when reforming the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)