Double funding for greening measures hot topic in talks

Double funding for greening will be one of the hot issues in CAP reform talks which start next week between member states, MEPs, and the European Commission.

The Commission had proposed that 30% of direct payments would be conditional on farmers implementing three greening measures — crop diversification, ecological focus areas (7%) and not reducing permanent grassland. Penalties over-and-above docking the 30% of payments are also in the Commission proposal (but subject to a maximum of 7.5% of basic payment).

Certain agri-environment packages would be equivalent to greening (‘green by definition’, such as organic, REPS, AEOS). But the Commission insists farmers cannot receive double funding for green measures, warning this would be illegal under international trade rules.