Visiting Brussels, Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu declared that there are “major discrepancies in terms of access to European subventions by farmers, and that equal treatment would ensure fair competition in EU member countries. The EC stated that this is not the moment to deal with this issue, according to Reuters, quoted by Mediafax.
According to the European Union Accession Treaty, agricultural funds were provided gradually for the ten countries which joined in 2004, and the two that acceded in 2007. Annual funds for agriculture for all 27 states presently amount to €40 billion.
Viorel Matei, President of the National Federation of Romanian Agricultural Producers (FNPAR) told Business Standard that “the average agricultural subvention in Romania and Bulgaria at present is €50 per hectare, while the European average is €350 per hectare. We have asked the European Commission for €250 per hectare.”n
