Specific rules for the fruit and vegetable sector

The Council took note of a presentation by Commissioner Fisher Boel on the proposed reform of the fruit and vegetables sector and held a first exchange of views on the matter.

In general, a large majority of delegations supported the proposal’s main objective. Some delegations pointed out the necessity to respect budgetary neutrality and discipline. Several delegations underlined the importance of crisis management tools adapted to this sector and noted the increasing vulnerability of the sector to imports from third countries.

The cornerstone of the proposed reform is the transfer of funds from processing to the decoupled Single Payment Scheme (SPS). The total amount that will be transferred to the SPS is around EUR 800 million. The proposal is budget neutral.