SAPARD assistance funds ready to pay out grants from next week

The EU-initiated SAPARD assistance program starts its payments as of next week. The European Union Agriculture commissioner Franz Fischler has signed the accreditation with the Agriculture Restructuring and Modernization Agency (ARiMR) which is responsible for distributing the funds. Next week the European Commission will transfer to Poland the first financial pool of euro 85 million - 49% of the annual SAPARD budget. Since SAPARD payments were supposed to be launched at the beginning of 2000, the money from the last three years will amount to euro 516 million. The EU funds are to finance projects valued at over euro 1.5 billion. Farmers and local go vernments, as well as food processing companies may from next week file for co-financing of investments which will contribute to the adjustment of the country's agricultural production to EU standards. Food processing companies will receive 38% of the SAPARD funds and local governments a further 28%. Local governments can spend the money on their infrastructure development including roads, telecommunications networks and sewage systems. Farmers will receive 18% of the SAPARD funds. (Rzeczpospolita, June 29-30, p. B3) A.Z.