Support for pre-accession measures for agriculture and rural development in the applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe in the pre-accession period

PURPOSE : to enable the Community to help restore rural areas following exceptional natural disasters in the applicant states. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Regulation 696/2003/EC amending Regulation 1268/1999/EC on Community support for pre-accession measures for agriculture and rural development in the applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe in the pre-accession period. CONTENT : in mid-August 2002 considerable damage was caused in various candidate countries by floods in their rural areas. This Regulation will enable the Community respond appropriately to such exceptional natural disasters whenever they occur in candidate countries, using the SAPARD instrument set up under Council Regulation 1268/1999/EC. No special provision is included in that Regulation for actions to help restore rural areas following exceptional natural disasters. Appropriate action by the Community in the wake of such disasters is needed. These events place a considerable economic burden on the affected parties both in the public and private sectors and coincide with the preparation for accession. This Regulation provides for increases both in the rate of Community assistance and in the normal ceilings on aid intensities: - for relevant projects following exceptional natural disasters the Community contribution may amount to up to 85 % of the total eligible public expenditure; - for revenue generating investments, public aid may amount up to 75 % of the total eligible cost of which the Community contribution may amount to up to 85 % of the public aid. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 20/04/03.�