The adoption of the Croatian proposal, supported by Cyprus and other Member States, to support farmers in the European Union, on which the Commission informed EU agriculture ministers on Tuesday, will enable the country to raise up to €5 million for this purpose, Agriculture Minister Kostas Kadis said on the sidelines of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels.
In his statements, Mr. Kadis pointed out that the meeting proved that small Member States such as Cyprus can also play a leading role, contributing to the formulation of pan-European policies, citing as examples the decision to support farmers and Cyprus' proposal for a common EU-wide list of animals that can be kept as pets.
Referring to the Commission's decision last Friday to grant a request from Croatia, Cyprus and other Member States to provide exceptional temporary support through the budget of the European Union.
"Through the adoption of this proposal, especially for Cyprus we will be able to raise an amount of 5 million euros to support Cypriot farmers to get through this difficult period in view of the big increases in fuel prices, fertiliser prices, feed prices, and the difficulties these increases have created for them," he added, announcing that next Friday the Council of Ministers will discuss the way these 5 million euros will be distributed "and possibly additional resources approved by the Ministry of Finance," he said.
Kadis also referred to the proposal to create a European positive list of wild animals allowed to be traded.
Noting that wildlife trade is one of the major threats to biodiversity, Kadis pointed out the positive role that the establishment of such a list at EU level can play.
"Our proposal is very important also for animal protection and welfare purposes - wild animals are born and are not meant to be kept in captivity and, of course, it also plays a positive role in the issues of safety and health of citizens," he noted.
"It is with great satisfaction that we have seen that the proposal presented by Cyprus was embraced by almost all the member states of the European Union, while the European Commission has indicated to us that it will study precisely the creation of a legislation which will include provision for the creation of the positive list, as proposed by Cyprus," he added.
Source: CNA
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