New EU farm subsidy plan criticised by green groups

BBC: Farmers will be paid twice by taxpayers for the same work if Europe's farm ministers get their way over subsidies. Ministers have backed double payments for environmental activities - even though the EU Commission and MEPs warn this would be wasteful and illegal. They also watered down the Commission's plan to oblige farmers to deliver some public benefit for their 58bn-euro (£50bn; $75bn) annual subsidies. The Irish EU presidency praised the outcome. But green groups are outraged. The...

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