Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 27.2.2007

Regional operation programs will increase competitiveness of regions and their prosperity

“National strategic referential frame of the CR is prepared for handover into an information system of the European Commission in Brussels”, the Minister Jiří Čunek declared today at a meeting of self-governments of Region of Coherence Central Bohemia. “At the same time we will have proposed particular operation programs to the obligatory term in Brussels, so to the 6th of March. By this step the official approval process will be opened. The National strategic referential frame is a key document, essential for start of spending money from European resources by means of particular operational programs (24 in total) The biggest volume of financial means - almost a half - aims at the transport infrastructure and environment. A significant part is devoted to a support of enterprise. A novelty of program period 2007-2013 are regional operational program (ROP) determined for development of regions.

Areas with genetically modified plants less than last year

Areas sowed with genetically modified plants this year in Central Europe should be as much as by 100 000 hectares less than in 2006. It is more than the whole European Union planted this year. Now, after the admission of Romania in the EU, there is no legal basis for planting of soya beans resistant to herbicides roughly in 1 500 big plants in south of the country. The official statistics for the year 2005 records 130 000 ha of soya beans, from it 85 000 ha of genetically modified varieties which are forbidden in the EU.

EAA: Transport is main obstruction of fulfillment of Kjóto in EU

A main obstruction in the EU for fulfillment of requirements of Kjóto protocol is a transport. According to the newest report of the European Environment Agency (EEA), which was publishe on the 26th of February 2007 in Copenhagen, a main obstruction in a way of EU to fulfill aims of Kjóto protocol are emissions of green-house gases caused by transport. The EEA report “Transport and environment: in a way to new common transport policy” states that the European transport policy has to solve a spiral of increase of demand for transport.

ÚBS: Despite high potato prices their growing will not be increased

Czech farmers will not probably increase acreage of field with potatoes this year although they sell last year's harvest very advantageously. It results from a survey of the Central Potato Growers Union of the CR (ÚBS). Owing to a less harvest which happened in the whole Europe, farm prices of potatoes grew four times. Despite that, enterprises rather stop growing of this plant because there are big variations in its appreciation. A chairman of the Union, František Novák, said it to journalists today. According to farmers' estimation, owing to high prices consumption of potatoes recently has decreased in the country by about a quarter. On shelf of shops potatoes cost four crowns last year in February; now customers have to pay 16 and even more crowns.

Source: Agris, 28.02.2007