Summary of newsmakers from the previous day 30. 5. 2005

Government wants to compensate forest owners for restrictions arising from Natura

The government intends to compensate forest owners for new restrictions which derive from the European programme for nature protection Natura 2000. The Ministry of Environment is preparing an amendment to the Act on wildlife protection that should ensure state aid to forest owners concerning conservation of protected forests. It has been reported to the Czech News Agency by Petr Roth, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment. Mr. Roth estimates the total costs for maintaining areas under Natura 2000 are likely to account to 80 million CZK. However, the ministry cannot guarantee this relatively small amount either.

EU expenses on rural development are to be cut significantly

Expenses on rural development policy for 2007 - 2013, covered by the EU funds within the joint agricultural policy, are to be cut approximately by 19 milliard EUR in comparison to the original proposal of the European Commission. Proposals for restricting financial means are related to a discussion on EU medium-term budget expenses on the joint agricultural policy. A compromise draft prepared under the current presidency of Luxembourgh is to less influence a decrease in traditional agricultural subsidies, which are basically to follow the original draft for 2007 - 2013.

Export of beer increased, domestic demand dropped

The data provided by the Czech Association of Breweries have shown that a slow decrease of demand for beer in the domestic market continues. In comparison to the same period in the last year the beer production dropped by almost 5 per cent to 3.26 million hectolitres. On the contrary, in the fist quarter of the year Czech breweries exported 560,000 hectolitres of beer, which meant an annual increase of 15.5 per cent. Beer was exported mostly to Germany, Slovakia and Great Britain. The weather will play an important role in further development of beer production.

Rules on trading with GMO products are to be discussed in Canada

Today in Canadian Montreal representatives of 119 governments will start to discuss binding rules for documentation, which will go along with the international trade with GMO products. Negotiations will proceed until 3rd June. The requirements for accompanying documents are the key issue in the already second meeting of countries that have assigned to the so called Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. New rules should ensure that borders of the signatory countries will see crossing only those products which contain the approved GMO. In this meeting EU member states will be represented by the European Commission.