Copa & Cogeca welcomed in Brussels today the EU Commissions’ move to simplify rules and increase support for EU fruit and vegetable producers and urge MEPs and Ministers to approve it.
Speaking in Brussels, Chairman of Copa & Cogecas’ Fruit and Vegetable Working Party Philippe Appeltans said “Publication by the Commission of this delegated act which will simplify rules and cut red tape in the fruit and vegetables sector is welcome news. This is a result of two years of work”.
“Support will also be increased under the move. Withdrawal prices will increase from 30% to 40% of the average EU market price over the last five years for free distribution and from 20% to 30% for withdrawals destined for other purposes such as compost. In addition, the role of Producer Organisations (POs) will be strengthened. We have been pressing for this. Producer Organisations like cooperatives are vital to help farmers join together to market their produce and to get a better price for it”, he added.
Copa & Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen also thanked EU Farm Commissioner Phil Hogan for his initiative to roll over exceptional support for the sector after July 2017 in view of the difficult market situation. The measures were introduced after Russia banned the EU’s fruit and vegetable exports as a result of international politics, which hit our sector badly, he stressed.
