May 15 CAP application deadline extended

Farmers trying to cope with the extensive changes in the Common Agricultural Policy can look forward to a few weeks of extra time, due to an extension of the usual May 15 closing date for the application for EU direct payments and other EU schemes.

Ireland was one of the member states seeking to have the CAP subsidy application deadline extended, at this week’s meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels, and Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney welcomed EU Agriculture Commissioner Hogan’s announcement that he is extending the period for submission of applications.

Commissioner Hogan said the May 15 deadline emerged as an issue in talks on implementation of the new CAP, during this week’s Council of EU agriculture ministers.