Brussels, 17/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is of the opinion that the Farm Advisory System (FAS), which is a key element in the reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP) of 2003, should be extended to take account of the emergence of new challenges. On Tuesday 16 November, it adopted a report on the functioning of this system. In most of the member states, the FAS did not become fully operational until 2008.
The aim of the FAS is to help to raise awareness among farmers of the relationship between the flows of agricultural materials and processes on the one hand and standards relating to the environment, food safety, health and animal well-being on the other. It was set in place at the same time as the “conditionality” system, which provides that the full payment of aid under the CAP is subject to the farmers' observation of certain requirements in terms of the environment, food safety and animal health and well-being. Two measures on the rural development policy were created in order to help the member states to set the farm advisory services in place and also to help the farmers to use them. By helping the farmers to observe these rules of conditionality, the FAS allows them to avoid losing payments under the CAP. A farmer receiving advice is better able to understand his or her obligations in terms of conditionality and will therefore be more likely to respect them.
Furthermore, the Commission takes the view that the following actions are necessary: - including in the minimum scope of application of the FAS the minimum requirements applicable for the use of fertiliser and other phytosanitary products provided for in the national legislation and stressing the need for specific action in terms of climate change; - clarifying the role of the FAS advisers towards other players in the field of conditionality, recommending the establishment of a very clear separation between the advisory service and farm inspections; - promoting the FAS by providing for a certain amount of flexibility as regards the content and frequency of implementation of the advisory-related measures, and by obliging the member states to provide the farmers with a list of FAS advisers; - improving the management of the FAS by requiring the advisers to have the necessary qualifications and to attend regular training courses, and for the FAS coordination bodies to organise training seminars.
The Commission plans to present these proposed modifications as part of the CAP
post-2013. (L.C./transl.fl)