schema:articleBody
| - EU agriculture and fishing ministers called Wednesday for targeted aid for their sectors to cope with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, on top of European Commission measures already announced. Meeting through a videolink because of virus restrictions, the ministers said that though food supply chains were holding up, there were risks looming. Border closures, a lack of farm labour, shuttered restaurants and social distancing were all taking their toll, they warned. Even though the Commission is shovelling state aid around,businesses including those under their remit, "it is clear that additional specific and targeted measures are needed to support the agricultural and fisheries sector of the EU, responding to specific country needs," they said in a joint statement. They recommended several measures, including easing on-the-spot checks, making funding measures under the EU's Common Agriculture Policy more flexible, and allowing advance payments. In terms of fisheries, they suggested similar relaxing of rules under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and allowing compensatory payments where activity has been brought to a halt. The EU's agriculture commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowski, said in a separate statement that European farming was "facing an unprecedented crisis". He said he noted the warnings raised in Wednesday's meeting and stated: "We are ready to take further action when necessary." mla/rmb/pvh
|