EU’s seven year rural aid scheme held up by row over modulation

EU rural development funding is unlikely to be cleared for spending by member states before the Council of Agriculture Ministers on March 19 and 20.

Countryside aid programmes for the next seven years are held up, because the European Parliament has blocked the European Commission’s proposal to allow 20% of farmers’ direct payments to be diverted to rural development projects, at the discretion of each Member State.

The Parliament initially shot down the proposal last autumn, and rejected it for a second time last month, with 89 votes in favour, 584 against and 19 abstentions.