EU ministers endorse proposals by Ireland on farm payment flexibility

European agriculture ministers endorsed a text put forward by the Irish presidency, proposing member states be given some flexibility on how they distribute their farm payments.

This openness to Irish proposals at yesterday’s EU council of ministers’ meeting in Brussels, augurs well for the CAP talks in March.

Many member states expressed strong support for the presidency’s proposals, while others thought the presidency should go further towards flat rates.

The hope of many EU farmers is that this endorsement may lead to some states being allowed to adopt payment systems other than the flat-rate model which the commission is proposing to introduce by 2019.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said he intends to navigate a path to agreement with a set of proposals aimed at addressing member states’ concerns regarding the flat-rate system.

He said: “The council generally endorsed the package of proposals presented by the Irish presidency as a step towards a full council position.

“We still have a number of issues to reflect upon, but I am confident that these can be finalised as part of the preparations for our next meeting in March.

“Over the last few days I spoke of the importance of this council to the overall CAP reform negotiating process.

“I am very pleased that my member state colleagues have today shown a readiness to move forward on the issue of how to distribute direct payments within member states.

“Their evident desire to reach a compromise on one of the most sensitive issues in the CAP reform package was very heartening.”

IFA president John Bryan said the compromise proposals still represent unacceptable cuts for thousands of Irish farmers.

However, he noted that the ministers had sent a strong message to EU agriculture commissioner, Dacian Ciolos, demanding flexibility, with some member states insisting they are not prepared to accept the imposition of flat-rate payments, which would be very damaging to production in every part of Ireland.

Mr Bryan said the minister must now hold firm against the commission’s plans and use the flexibilities secured at the farm council yesterday to deliver a deal under CAP reform that safeguards the payments of active, productive farmers.

Mr Bryan said: “The purpose of the single farm payment is to support high-quality food production. Movement to a flat rate payment per hectare with regionalisation, regardless of enterprise or activity, is totally unacceptable to Irish farmers and must be strongly resisted by Minister Coveney.”

ICSA president Gabriel Gilmartin has welcomed the thrust of the amendments proposed by the Irish presidency, along with the French proposal to give higher payments for the first 50 hectares, which he says will favour smaller, active farmers.

Mr Gilmartin said: “Small to medium-sized Irish farms are the most vulnerable to funding cuts and negative market influences, so it is very welcome to see that such farms will be the focus of a top-up payment on their first hectares.”

West of Ireland MEP Marian Harkin has urged European ministers to ensure fairness in the distribution of future funds.

She pointed out that the average payment in Co Clare was €223 per hectare while the payment in Co Kilkenny, for instance, was €350 per hectare.

“This indicates the significant gap which exists currently in payments, and the review of the CAP provides an opportunity to bring greater fairness into SFP policy,” said Ms Harkin.