The number of farmers needed to register a so called marketing association has been lowered from 30 to 7, said Iskra Valcheva from the integration policy directorate of the ministry of agriculture. The marketing associations will sell the produce of its members after Bulgaria joins the EU in 2007 and will be eligible for additional assistance from Brussels. The adjustment will be reflected in the new ordinance on the organisation of fruit and vegetable producers expected to take effect this August. Only farmers registered with the respective municipal agriculture service and with documented ownership of at least 0.3 ha of arable land that is actively farmed will be eligible for EU subsidies after accession. The overall number of registered farmers will be used to calculate the EU assistance. Foreigners will not be allowed to purchase agriculture land in Bulgaria seven years after the country's accession into the European Union, said government's representative Zanaida Veleva in charge of the European integration questions. The transitory period for villa areas will be five years, in which citizens of other countries will be banned to buy lands in these regions. On the other hand, there will be restrictions for Bulgarians who will be searching for jobs in other EU member states seven years after the country's entry. Only Sweden, Ireland and Portugal will accept Bulgarians openly. The transitory period for introduction of the EU environments standards will be the longest - eight years.