Press Release: CAP Reform: Commission welcomes adoption of reformed cotton support scheme

Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, welcomed the adoption by the Council of the reformed EU cotton support scheme. The reform maintains 65 % of aid 'decoupled' (i.e. no longer linked to production) and 35 % linked to cotton production in the form of area payments. National restructuring programmes are created to facilitate restructuring in the cotton ginning industry and to enhance quality and marketing of the cotton produced. The new scheme will replace the current support arrangement, which was annulled by the European Court of Justice on 7 September 2006.