IFA insists EU rural development funding levels must be maintained

SUFFICIENT EU funds must be made available to support key rural development measures, IFA National Rural Development chairman Tom Turley said at a special meeting of European farmer group COPA.

Mr Turley told the meeting on rural development policy post-2013 that the 10% allocation for rural development must at least be maintained in the next round and that the EU co-financing rate should also be maintained at 50%.

The meeting was attended by EU farmer union representatives from the 27-member states.