Brussels, 19/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - European Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan announced further measures simplifying the common agricultural policy (CAP) with regard to penalties imposed on farmers for errors in surface area declarations. Hogan was speaking at the meeting of the European Parliament agriculture committee in Strasbourg in the evening of Monday 18 January.
At the moment, penalties can amount to more than double the value of the aid awarded for “over-declared” areas. With the new proposals, in the member states where the management and control system has proved its effectiveness, sanctions will be one and a half times the area over-declared.
In addition, a “yellow card” system will be introduced: for a first offender, where the over-declaration is deemed to be minor, the administrative penalty would be halved and the farmer would be subject to an on-the-spot check the following year.
The coming weeks are expected to see further new simplification measures brought forward on common market organisation (public intervention, private storage, import and export licences, and producer organisations) and rural development (for small beneficiaries and access to financial instruments) (see EUROPE 11412).
Hogan hopes to be able to present his proposals for simplifying greening measures, and in particular ecological focus areas before the summer. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)