EU Cuts Agriculture Red Tape in Bid to Quell Farmers’ Protests
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The European Union will provide simpler financing for farmers and ease strict environmental rules after months of protests that put the bloc’s agricultural policies under intense scrutiny.
The European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, put forward a number of rule changes to help the industry, including doubling the limit on lump sum payments for small farmers embracing eco-friendly practices to €2,500 ($2,811), and making it easier for organic producers to access finance. The bloc expects simpler administrative procedures to save farmers as much as €1.6 billion a year.