The European Commission has today authorised Austria to pay income aid worth a total of some € 8.94 million to beef farmers who have suffered losses between January and June 2001 because of the consequences of the BSE crisis.
Normally, Member States may not pay such income aid. However, the Commission recognises that the current crisis in the beef market is exceptional, and therefore justifies such aid.
The Commission has also authorised other BSE-related state aids in Belgium and Germany, like BSE tests and the destruction of risk material. For Germany these state aids amount to around € 51 million. The Belgian measure is a fee, which partially covers the costs of BSE-tests.