Land grab fears return after EU Auditors opinion
Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney warned last year people may come from outside the agricultural community to buy up large tracts of lower value land in an effort to secure payments into the future — following the EU proposal to make 2014 a reference year for single farm payments.
Following intensive Irish lobbying in Brussels, the European Commission stipulated 2011 as a “tie-back” year. This meant if a farmer has eligibility in the proposed reference year of 2014, he or she can only be eligible for the single farm payment in the future if he or she made some claim for that payment in 2011.
However, the European Court of Auditors has now found fault with the CAP reform proposal change demanded by Ireland.
The Auditors said the Commission appeared to undermine its own effort to encourage young people to become farmers with its proposal that a new entitlement programme in 2014 would require that recipients had already received CAP payments as early as 2011.
Although not legally binding, the EU Court of Auditors opinion is almost certain to shape the debate raging over the CAP proposals, and will heighten Irish concerns that leasing and conacre markets and, potentially, the afforestation market, may be affected in the build up to 2014.
This Auditors also broadly criticised the proposals as “too complex” — in sharp contrast to Agriculture Commissioner Ciolos’s claim that they are “simple and efficient”.
The Auditors warned that the proposals expose the EU to abuse in its direct payments scheme.
The Court’s opinion also says “greening” proposals “are not adequately laid down”.
The 63-page opinion backs those who warn that greening measures such as removing land from active cultivation would impose new administrative burdens on farmers.
The proposals were also criticised for failure to outline ways members states can offset a proposed 15% increase in management costs. Complexity of rural development funds proposals, with six layers of rules, was another criticism.
Fault was also found with the Commission’s definition of active farmers.
