COUNCIL APPROVES GREEK FARM COOPERATIVES AID AND FEED ADDITIVES RULES.

With the big debates on the wine and agri-monetary regimes and organic farming out of the way, the EU Farm Ministers meeting in Council on December 14/15 also gave their stamp of approval to a state aid scheme for Greek cooperatives and adopted an amendment to two Directives and a Decision regarding the animal feed sector.

Greek state aid approved.

Following the Greek delegation's request concerning the possibility of letting the Government in Athens pay off part of the debts which agricultural cooperatives have towards the Greek Agricultural Bank, the Farm Ministers unanimously approved the Greek state aid, thus avoiding the need for a European Commission inquiry. According to the Greek delegation, these aids are justified by the need to clean up the cooperatives which are in a difficult situation because of debts accumulated following unpredictable events (such as natural disasters) and which have increased over time because of the bank's high interest rates.

Animal feed additives.

The Council adopted an amendment to the Directive (No 70/524/EEC) concerning animal feed additives and to the Directive (No 95/69/EC)...