FRANCE AND ITALY
February 1st, 2002
BY ALAN OSBORNEU agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler has sharply attacked requests by France and Italy for authorisation to pay national aids to wine producers in connection with the distillation of table wine saying they created "a serious risk of distortion of competition."France asked EU ministers this week for permission to pay some Euro 45 million, (about Pounds 28 million), and Italy for Euro 40 million, (Pounds 24 million). Both countries are to put around 4.5 million hectolitres into distillation.Dr Fischler said these were "pure operating aids which ...
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