New EC rules to govern EU payments

ALL recipients of European Union agricultural and rural development payments will be published in detail under new rules adopted yesterday by the European Commission.

Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said this is taxpayers’ money, so it is important people know where it is being spent.

Transparency should also improve the management of these funds, by reinforcing public control of how the money is used.

“Only in this way can we guarantee an informed debate about the future of the Common Agricultural Policy,” she said.

By April 30, 2009, the full name, municipality and, where available, postal code of every recipient will be published.

The commission said this will be in a clear, harmonised manner on nationally-managed websites with a search tool which enables the public to see how much money each person or company received.

Amounts will be broken down in direct payments to farmers and other support measures.

For rural development policy, which is co-financed between the EU and the national government, the information will cover both EU and national money.

This information will be available by April 30 every year for the previous financial year and must remain on the website for two years from the date of its original publication.