European Union drags its heels over decision on agricultural subsidies

European Union (EU) countries may fail to decide on the conditions of financing Polish farming and agriculture by the end of June, in contravention of the negotiation schedule. The delay is due to a disagreement within the EU over direct subsidies. Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Sweden want to postpone making a decision on whether to gradually grant subsidies to new member countries, until the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) reform is presented by the Commission. France, backed by Spain, opposes the delay as it fears the reform will abolish the subsidies, on which two-thirds of the EU budget is spent, with euro 9 billion being paid to French farmers. Polish negotiators hope that when the talks commence in October, after the elections in Germany, the new German government will agree to more favorable conditions for the financing of Polish farmers. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A5) K.S