"Best possible deal" gives Poland euro 20 billion of EU funding over three years

The European Commission (EC) yesterday accepted a proposal under which the European Union (EU) will earmark euro 20 billion for supporting Poland during the first three years after the country's EU accession. "This offer strikes a right balance between the expectations of the candidate countries... and the budgetary limits of the EU," explained EU enlargement commissioner Guenter Verheugen. "In other words, this represents the best possible deal, and not an invitation for haggling," he went on. The EC proposes that the integration of Poland's agriculture sector with the EU food market should take place over a ten year period. However, the Polish government has stated that it views as unsatisfactory the level of direct funding for the country's farmers. It has also said the ten year transition period before the full amount of funds is made available is unacceptable. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1; Reuters) P.J.