Netherlands Does Not Oppose Direct Payments to Farmers, Agriculture Minister Says

Amsterdam, 22 June - The belief that Great Britain, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands oppose direct payments to farmers, and thus delay EU enlargement, is wrong, Slovene Agriculture Minister Franci But was reassured by his Dutch counterpart Jan Laurenson Brinkhorst. As Minister But told STA Saturday, Brinkhorst clearly stressed that the reform of the common agricultural policy is necessary, however this does not mean direct payments would be abolished, they are only to be reduced over a transitional period.