Financing reported hurting EC attempt to help Poles

February 2, 1981

European Economic Community attempts to help alleviate food shortages in Poland are being hampered by financial arrangements, according to EC officials. The Community's offer the help was made six weeks ago, but the officials say only a few thousand tons of butter appeared to have been delivered. EC foreign ministers agreed in December to subsidize sales to Poland of needed items like meat and cereals. But it was left to individual countries to provide cash or credits enabling Warsaw to buy the items, and the progress of sales ha d been disappointingly slow, the officials said.