ECONOMY

When the calamity occurred too early

The European Commission has turned down a Greek application for compensation to farmers who suffered losses due to extreme weather conditions in December 2002, as having being submitted too late. Greece submitted «a brief letter with minimal information» on February 28, 2003, saying the losses had been incurred in the previous month. Final details arrived as late as September 30, 2003, revealing that the bad weather spell had set in on December 11, 2002, and that in at least six cases the losses has been realized in the preceding 10 days. The letter/application was turned down because the rules of the Solidarity Fund, which disburses compensation for such cases, required its submission within 10 weeks of the occurrence of the calamity.

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