Brussels, 29/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 29 March the European Commission adopted a report drawing up an initial balance sheet in EU member states involving cross compliance of aid to farmers. In light of its analysis and criticism from certain farmers and member states, the Commission is determined to present, before the end of 2007, proposals to improve information, introduce a certain level of tolerance in minor cases of non-compliance, harmonise control rates and introduce advance notice of certain on-farm checks. The Commission does not exclude more substantial amendments to cross compliance by the end of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) bill of health expected to begin in 2008.
Cross compliance entered into force in 2005. It was considered as one of the cornerstones of CAP reform in 2003 and the principle is a condition for full payments to farmers who respect certain demands in the environment, public health, animal and plant health and animal welfare. In practical terms, it includes the possibility to reduce, either fully or partially, the direct payments to the farmer if the standards are not respected. It is made up of two components, the "statutory management requirements" (SMRs) and "good agricultural and environmental condition" (GAEC). The SMRs are made up of 19 laws, while Member States have to define minimum standards for GAEC based on an EU framework.
During a press conference Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development explained that Cross Compliance is, “right and it is necessary and it is here to stay. However, this does not mean that we cannot make changes to make it work more effectively." The Commissioner added that, “Today's proposal includes a list of measures which I am convinced will make the system much better, without watering down the basic concept”.
The Commission quickly resumed the main changes envisaged: establish a de minimis rule to exempt from reductions any penalty falling below €50 (warning letter would just be sent out to the farmer); intends to introduce a single control rate, of 1 percent minimum, for on-the-spot checks for Cross Compliance; possibility to give notice of checks up to 14 days in advance but only in certain cases such as for harvest monitoring (Controls on feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare and identification and registration of animals will remain unannounced); improved efficiency in controls (Checks need only be made on half of the land parcels, rather than the whole farm; Farmers must receive the control report at the latest three months after the checks; There will be an improved selection of the control sample).
The Commission also proposes to simplify the so-called "10-month rule", which obliges farmers to keep at their disposal for 10 months any land parcels declared to activate the single payment scheme. New Member States which apply the SAPS scheme of direct aid will have to implement the SMRs from 2009. It is proposed to allow a three-year phasing-in period for this. For Bulgaria and Romania, this phase-in period would begin in 2012.
The report on Cross Compliance demonstrates that in 2005, 240, reductions in payments were applied for 11.9 percent of farmers subject to on-the-spot checks. The total amount of reductions rose to €9.84 million. Fischer Boel welcomed the lessons to be drawn from the “Eurobarometer” survey published the same day stated that 8 out of 10 people (58%) thought that the CAP budget should remain at the same level or increase in the future, as opposed to only 17% who want to see this funding decrease.
According to the Copa-Cogeca agricultural organisations, the Commission report tends to prove that almost 90% of farmers controlled in 2005 in the EU fully respected cross compliance. More than two thirds of the infringements observed were deemed to be minor in nature. These organisations are pleased with the measures proposed but consider that the wasteful administrative costs linked to cross compliance can be further reduced, without standards being revised downwards. The Commission is being called on to be “more audacious” in its attempts to simplify these rules. (lc)