Stiff opposition to reforms

THE LOSS of premium payments attached to land sold this year is the latest possibility emerging from the confusion surrounding CAP reform in Brussels.

But all member states are likely to oppose Frans Fischler's controversial proposal that direct payments on land sold in 2003 are lost to a National Reserve, becoming unavailable to either the buyer or seller.

It is also proposed that if a farmer retires in 2003, the retiring farmer or the successor would not be entitled to direct payments, which would go to the National Reserve. In such a case, the successor would have to request entitlements from the National Reserve. This point is also likely to be opposed by a lot of member states.