For the second time in 2004, the European Commission has decided to recover from member countries huge sums allocated by the Agricultural Funds due to “inadequate controls and failure to conform to Community rules” by the competent national authorities. The sums that Brussels intends to claw back from nine member states amount to a total of 119.4 million Euros, to which are added 140 million recovered in February due to administrative irregularities in the application of EU law on agriculture and rural development. France has been given the most substantial “fine” (58.17 M euros), followed by Italy (21.82), the UK (20.78) and Spain (10.55). The Commission’s “fines” are less onerous in the case of Greece, Portugal, Holland, Belgium and Germany. The infringements contested especially concern the inadequacy of controls on the stockpiling of cereals and rice, the violation of regulations on the funding of development projects in favour of young farmers, and the award of premiums for the slaughter of surplus cattle.———————————————————————————————————– Sir Europa (English) N.ro assoluto : 1296 N.ro relativo : 36 Data pubblicazione : 15/05/04
