EU allocates funds to promote agriculture

The EU’s executive arm said it has approved 16 programs in 12 member states to provide information and to promote agricultural products in the EU, including organic products, dairy products, meat, wine, fruit and vegetables, olive oil, honey and flowers.

The total budget of the programs running between one and three years is €62.1 million (US$88.4 million), of which the EU will contribute 27.8 million.

Mariann Fischer Boel, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, noted that the programs also cover dairy products, which have come under severe market stress in line with sharp price drops on world markets.

Under EU rules adopted in 2007, the EU finances up to 50 percent of the cost of national programs to promote agricultural products both in the EU and in third countries.