Brussels, 16/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Cypriot Presidency has suggested a new “working” version of the regulation on the “greening” of direct payments to member states, in the context of the proposals on reform of common agricultural policy (CAP). The main innovation of the text tabled at the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA), on Monday 12 November, would be to partially uncouple “green” payment from the basic payment and to extend the notion of equivalence.
According to the paper by the Cypriot Presidency, the notion of equivalence would be extended to measures providing greater benefits for the climate and the environment. Farms with 75% or more of permanent grassland would be considered “green” by definition. Finally, the requirement of conserving permanent grassland would come under an exemption in some cases.
Decoupling and sanctions. Several EU countries (France, Germany, United Kingdom, and others) said during the SCA on 12 November that the system proposed was too complex. On the subject of sanctions, a group of countries (Denmark, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, to name but a few) takes the view that sanctions could go beyond 100% of the green payment depending on the infringement, and even up to 200%. Others, like France and Ireland, consider that sanctions may only go beyond 100% in exceptional circumstances, in the event of very serious infringement (intentional fraud), for example. Many countries (Romania, Italy, Spain and Poland, inter alia) consider that the proposal aimed at greening 30% of direct payments is already sufficiently binding and that sanctions should never exceed 100% of the share foreseen for green payment.
Equivalence. The second debate was on the principle of equivalence in greening practices and on what could be considered as green by definition, a measure aimed at protecting the environment.
The Cypriot Presidency has proposed equivalence involving measures that would not be of the same kind as those proposed by the Commission but which would be recognised as being identically effective. The Commission, through implementing acts, would provide conditions required for a measure to be considered as equivalent (agri-environmental measures, certification of practice, etc.).
A majority of countries (France, Poland, Ireland, Romania and Denmark to name but a few) were in agreement with the presidency on extending the notion of equivalence. Although many countries were in favour of the European Commission defining equivalence criteria (France, Denmark, Finland, etc.), some preferred to have the countries themselves decide (Sweden, United Kingdom, etc.).
The Cypriot Presidency proposed, moreover, that farms on which permanent grassland accounted for 75% of the surface area should be considered “green” by definition. A majority of delegations (French, Romanian, Danish, Spanish, etc.) are in favour, with a few exceptions, with the northern countries calling for account to be taken of forest coverage (Germany, Sweden) and Mediterranean countries (Italy) requesting submerged cultivation to be taken into account. Many countries felt the SCA should hold an in-depth debate on zones of ecological interest.
Furthermore, the SCA also evoked the aid regime proposed in CAP reform in favour of small farmers. Several countries reiterated their request for the regime to be voluntary (France, Germany, United Kingdom, Denmark, Netherlands, Slovakia, etc.). And some countries (Germany, United Kingdom, Denmark, among others) felt small farmers should not benefit from an exemption in the implementation of the “greening” of farm aid. (LC/transl.jl)