Delegated regulation 2017/1155 of 15 February 2017, which simplifies certain rules on the greening of direct aid, came into force on Monday 3 July. It bans the use of pesticides on ecological focus areas (EFAs) (see EUROPE 11808).
The changes introduced apply to applications for aid in calendar years from 1 January 2018. Member states will, however, be able to apply them to aid applications in calendar year 2017
The delegated act bans the use of plant protection products on the following ecological focus areas which are or may be productive: land lying fallow, strips of eligible hectares along forest edges with production, catch crops or green cover and nitrogen-fixing crops.
It also introduces: - simplified definitions of what constitutes an EFA and the conditions that have to be met for it to be designated as such; - greater flexibility on what qualifies as an EFA, especially with regard to landscape features; - more flexibility for EU countries with regard to the period permitted for crop diversification, depending on their individual climatic conditions; - clearer definitions for EFAs designated as land lying fallow; - removal of deadlines for sowing catch crops; - allowing a mixture of seeds for EFAs designated as nitrogen-fixing crops.
Direct greening payments make up 30% of the direct aid budget. Farmers receiving aid dependent on the area of land farmed are required to undertake a number of practices that are considered beneficial to the environment and the climate, such as: - diversifying crops; - maintaining permanent grassland; - dedicating a minimum of 5% of arable land to “ecological focus areas”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)