Paet: Estonia Would Like Changes Made to New Financial Framework Regarding Cohesion Policy and Agricultural Supports

Rahvusvahelised uudised | 21 Nov 2012 | EWR

emfa 20.11.2012 No 413-E
At a meeting of the European Union foreign ministers with President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy in Brussels, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that the level of direct agricultural supports in the new EU budgetary framework does not satisfy Estonia.

“We cannot agree to it and it would be unfair for farmers in the Baltic states to get only 59% of the EU average in support in 2020,” Paet stated. “Everyone must be equal on the European Union single market and it would not be a fair competition if some member states are supported more than others,” noted the Estonian foreign minister. “It damages the competitiveness of our farmers on the European market,” he added.

Paet stated that the EU’s funding of the Cohesion Policy is very important to Estonia. “We want a more equalised standard of life in all regions of the European Union, therefore Cohesion Policy is one of the most vital topics for Estonia in the budgetary negotiations,” Paet explained. “Estonia would like for an exception to be made to the cap on Cohesion Policy funds for the countries that suffered the most in the economic crisis and those that have used Cohesion Policy funds successfully,” he asserted.

The Estonian foreign minister also emphasised that we would like for there to be good connections among the various regions of the EU and for this reason we support the creation of the Connecting Europe Facility. “This would also support the creation of better connections linking the Baltic states to Western Europe,” Paet said.

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