Summary of newsmakers from the previous day 12.9. 2005

The CR is threatened with fine for excess reserves of commodities

Ministers of agriculture of new member states of the European Union subscribed a letter to a commisar Marian Fisher-Böl yesterday in London. In the letter the ministers impugned suggestions of calculations of fines for so called excess reserves of agricultural commodities which new member countries had at the time of entrance in the European Union in the 1st May 2004. According to the impugned European Union's calculation, the Czech Republic should pay 47 million Euro, so roughly 1,4 milliard crowns. In comparison with other debtors the height of fine is relatively low. For example Hungary, in a size comparable with the Czech Republic, should pay for its reserves as many as 200 million Euro

France refused changes in agrarian policy

French Minister of Agriculture Dominique Bussereau negated any changes in the common agricultural policy of the EU today at an informal meeting of ministers of agriculture. He responded to British requirement so that next budget count on changes in financing agriculture. London considers costs as extortionary. “It is not dealt with a debate among France and England but with a position of England which differs from opinions of all other European countries”, reported the minister.

Owners of forests in Vysočina has meanwhile only a small interest in dotations from EU

They can obtain them for example for a renewal of growths after disasters, for investments, or for forestation of agriculturally unused lands. According to Václav Kodet, a councilman of the region, dotation titles are not providing an easy survey for a common people. And further, above all smaller farms are also afraid of bureaucratic burden.

The biggest fall of state of milking cows in new member states of the EU

A total number of cattle in the EU-25 according to Eurostat data moves at a level of 88,7 pieces. Thus state represents almost 6,5 % from the world-wide cattle state which is according to the FAO' s estimation about 1,37 mld. pieces. A calculations realized in May and June in 2005 prove a constant decreasing tendency of the cattle state. In countries of the EU-15 in 2004 this fall was 1,6 % and in countries of the EU-25 1,7 %. The biggest fall of the total state of cattle was reported in Slovakia: - 6,7 % and Hungary: -4,3 %; of milking cows than Slovakia? -7,6 %, Hungary: -6,6 % and the CR: -6,2 %.

Source: Agris, 13.09.2005