EU agrees upon first payment of Sapard fund to help restructure agriculture

The European Union's Special Accession Program for Agriculture and Rural Development, Sapard, finally came into affect. In Brussels yesterday a decision was published which granted Poland the first advance payment of euro 40 million. The Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture (ARiMR), which is to receive the funds will start accepting petitions from farmers next week. "We are obliged by procedures strictly enforced by the EU, which state that the specific dates have to be announced during a press conference," claims an official quoted by Prawo i Gospodarka. The money, which was already sent by Brussels, will be transferred to ARiMR in four or five months time. (Prawo i Gospodarka, p. 3) A.K.