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21st MARS Annual Conference21st MARS Annual Conference

Presentation by Mr. Owen JONESPresentation by Mr. Owen JONES

Thessaloniki 24-25 November 2015Thessaloniki 24-25 November 2015

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Direct Aids

Simplification and Implementation Support

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• Mandate Commissioner Hogan

• AGRI context (DP/CMO – RD)

• simplification framework

Simplification – the overall context

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Simplification Framework

3 guiding principles:

• Respect 2013 political decisions

• Ensure sound financial management

• Concentrate on simplification for farmers

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• Internal screening exercise of the entire agricultural acquis

• MS, EP and stakeholders contributed to the exercise

• Council - adoption of Council conclusions

• COMAGRI

• Civil dialogue groups

What has happened so far ?

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Implications of the Reform• Introduction of a scale of 1:5000 for LPIS as of 2016;• Upgrade of the LPIS content to include:

- land cover classes (Perm. Grassland, Perm. Crops, Arable)- an Ecological Focus Area (EFA) layer - green payments- the maximum eligible area (MEA) for R D measures

• Introduction of "on-line" application (the GSAA)• Measurement of different landscape features as potential EFAs;• On-the-spot controls of Crop Diversification.

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1. IACS Simplification (May 2015)

• Eligibility conditions in relation to the identification and registration requirements for animals for coupled support

• Postponement of final date for submission of aid applications

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2. IACS Simplification• Changes to current guidelines to direct payments:

• Only need to map declared EFA elements• Flexibility as regards the identification of certain EFA

elements in EFA layer• Certain flexibility with regard to adjacent EFA• Reduced requirement for identification of some specific

types of permanent grassland in LPIS• Compensation of missing EFA by another EFA

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3. IACS Simplification –

Implementing Act and Delegated Act end 2015

• Next presentation

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4. and in 2016…

• Initiatives on simplification related to greening in

the framework of the “review after the first year

of application”

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Implementation support

• CAP reform includes a number of new elements• COM intention to support Member States with a view to a successful and correct implementation• DG AGRI Unit D3 "Implementation support and monitoring, IACS, LPIS.

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Implementation support

“How are the Member States doing ?”

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Significant events in the 2015 claim year

• Time pressure to be ready for 2015 (adapt systems, train people, inform farmers) option to postpone application deadline 1 month

• Risk of late finalisation of controls (first year) combined with Russian embargo and milk crisis exceptional derogation to pay increased advances prior to on-the-spot checks

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Implementation issues identified• LPIS update/upgrade – distinction arable land / permanent

crops / permanent grassland

• Greening: EFAs, period for crop diversification, extended definition of permanent grassland

• Establishment of an EFA layer

• New features like 'active farmer', Young Farmers payment, Small Farmers payment

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Implementation issues identified• On-the-spot controls: new sampling approach, "cascade",

timing of controls (crop diversification and some EFAs)

• Putting in place the geospatial aid application system (phasing-in)

• Overall: IACS continues to be the common tool and framework

• Member States have used the opportunity to ask for assistance

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Implementation support – activities• Issuing of guidelines and Q&A documents• Visits to Member States and bilateral meetings – the agenda set by MS• Reply to written questions• Organisation of workshops• Participation in committees, events• Cooperation with the JRC

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Technical guidance documents• The JRC, with DG AGRI developed :

- On-the-Spot checks for Crop Diversification;- On-the-Spot checks for Ecological Focus Area requirements;- The pro-rata system for permanent grassland;- The management of layers in LPIS;

• Based on workshops that took place during the year (Varese, Baveno, etc.) and on interactions with the LPIS community;

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Support Activities in the second half of 2015Expert groups/Workshops (experience/best practice)

o Administration and control of VCS / animal premia

o Issues related to payment to young farmers

o Issues related to "self-maintained land, grassland"

o Calculation of payments, reductions and sanctions in particular for greening;

o Issues related to "active farmer"18

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Support Activities in 2016As for 2015 but we intend to

o incorporate and learn the lessons from the first year, for that we need your help and guidance…

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Thank you for your attention