Call for funding guarantee to be extended

Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy Fergus Ewing has called for the EU funding guarantee to be extended to cover the outstanding £360 million that is vital to the Rural Economy.

Following confirmation from the UK Government that they will guarantee certain expenditure, Mr Ewing is pressing for this to be extended to cover at least £300 million of CAP Pillar 2 funding and at least £60 million of EMFF funding that is unlikely to be able to be agreed by the Autumn Statement for commitments running to 2020.

Mr Ewing said:

“While the guarantees offered by the UK Government helped to remove some uncertainty for our farmers and fishermen, it’s clear that it simply does not go far enough.

“EU funds provide significant benefits to the rural economy, creating and sustaining jobs often in areas where circumstances are challenging. They are a critical support mechanism for the agricultural and fishing industries.

"That’s why I am calling for the UK Government to go further and extend that guarantee to cover in excess of £300 million for CAP pillar 2 and £60 million EMFF funding that remains at stake. This would provide the clarity and certainty rural Scotland needs.”