Press Release: The Commission declares State aid to the fruit and vegetable sector in France to be incompatible with the common market

The European Commission adopted a negative final decision concerning State aid granted by France between 1992 and 2002 to finance ‘contingency plans’. This aid related to public funds paid by the Office National Interprofessionnel des Fruits, des Légumes et de l’Horticulture (ONIFLHOR) to certain French agricultural committees to finance measures to deal with crises in the fruit and vegetable sector. The aid went to the fruit and vegetable producer organisations in the departments concerned. The funds involved were believed to have been in excess of €330 million.