Copa-Cogeca has enthusiastically praised the European Commission's move to simplify the rules and increase support to European fruit and vegetable producers, calling on MEPs and Ministers to enforce the Commission's decisions.
Philippe Appeltans, President of the Copa-Cogeca Working Group, said that "the simplification of the rules and a reduction of bureaucracy in our sector is good news. This is the result of two years of work."
Aid will be given a boost with this decision. "Withdrawal prices will increase from 30% to 40% of the average EU market price for the last 5 years when the product is used for free distribution, and from 20% to 30% when used for other purposes, such as compost. Furthermore, the position of producer organizations will be strengthened. We have been calling for this for a long time. Producer organizations, like cooperatives, are key to connecting growers and enabling them to sell their products at better prices," he added.
Pekka Pesonen, Secretary General of Copa-Cogeca, also thanked Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan for extending the sector's support after July 2017 due to the difficult market situation. The measures were introduced after Russia stopped importing EU fruit and vegetables, which has hit the sector very seriously," he stressed.
Source: portalspozywczy.pl
