Brussels, 04/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - A number of MEPs are concerned at the complexity of the new rural development rules (second pillar of the common agricultural policy - CAP) and want to postpone the rules on the greening of aid to 1 January 2016 instead of 1 January 2015.
A proposal in this sense was presented on Monday 2 September during the EP agriculture committee by Albert Dess (EPP, Germany) in his report on transition provisions for rules on direct payments, rural development and funding, CAP management and follow-up.
Dess stressed that farmers needed at least two years to prepare for implementation of the greening requirements in the second pillar (rural development). Under the political agreement of 26 June, rules on the greening of aid have to apply to the two pillars by January 2015, the date of the entry into force of all CAP reform. The European Commission and particularly the Greens/EFA Group in the Parliament strongly oppose the 12-month postponement being advocated. Luis Capoulas Santos (S&D, Portugal), rapporteur on rural development, pointed out that the political agreement of 26 June did not provide for any such delay. (LC/transl.fl)