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EU backs plans for 1bn euros farming package for Africa

18/07/2008

The European Commission has backed plans to hand over €1 billion (£800 million) of unspent farm subsidies to African farmers.

As part of the plans, the money would be used to help farmers increase their output and thereby help relieve some of the pressure currently felt worldwide due to food shortages and soaring food prices.

The considerable package has been set aside for the EU agriculture budget but has yet to be spent.

If agreed by European ministers and the European parliament the aid package could be in place by 2009.

However, the plan has attracted some opposition by a number of EU states.

Countries, including Britain, Sweden and the Netherlands, have question the legality of the scheme.

European Commission spokesman Johannes Laitenberger, however, claims it is the best way to tackle the current food crisis.

"There's a fairly broad consensus on the need to act here, given the crisis which is taking place," he said.

"In the commission's opinion, this is the most efficient and most rapid instrument that could be used."