Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 25.1.2008

Municipalities, regions and NNO can ask for financial support of local Agendas 21

The Ministry of Environment has already published a call appeal for submitting of application for grant to support introduction and development of local Agendas 21 (MA21) in the Czech Republic from a revolving fund Phare. Jakub Kašpar, a spokesman of the ministry drew attention to it again. According to him, the aim of use of the subsidy is a system improvement of administration and management of municipalities, towns of microregions and regions towards sustainable development.

Gandalovič: We want stimulate generation exchange in agriculture

A complex development of rural regions and conservation of natural and cultural inheritance of the countryside and the nature of rural landscape belong to priorities of the Ministry of Agriculture CR. A minister Petr Gandalovič said it at a seminar called “How it will go further? Czech agriculture 2008 - 2014” which takes place in Žďár nad Sázavou. He considers support of development of infrastructury and sped realization of flood-protection and erosion-protection measures as crucial. “In 2007 - 2013 as many as 99,43 billion crowns can be spent by means of the Rural Development Plan CR from the fund EAFRD. Our aim is to stimulate as much as possible young generation to start enterprising in the countryside, to speed up generation exchange in agriculture. We place emphasis on maximal dulcification of conditions for applicants for financial means which means first of all decrease of bureaucracy to a minimum”, Gandalovič reported.

Fair set mirror

Recently I have a chance to participate again after year in a world agrarian and food saloon Grüne Woche in Berlin. We can meet the whole world at a huge exhibition area; there are 26 exhibition halls, some on three floors. We meet here also top European politicians, ministers of agriculture of all decisive countries of the world including China. Nevertheless, above all we meet here tens thousand of visitors who are attacked from all sides, by all senses, to notice that agriculture, its products, landscape which it creates and cultivates is crucial for our life. Finally, we meet here tens of journalists, tens of television staff which fix this feeling, improve it and transfer it in minds of the public and politicians.

Czech beer waits for big “Č” in Brussels

After three years the European Commission published a proposal for registration of the name “České pivo” (Czech beer) in the EU Official Bulletin. Thereby a half-year time for objections starts. If no serious objections appear, “České pivo” will become a protected geographical marking of the European Union. After three years when the Czech Republic had struggled for a registration of protected geographical marking “České pivo” the European Union published a proposal for registration of the mark in the EU Official Bulletin.