Copa and Cogeca welcome the new package of measures to simplify the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) announced by EU Farm Commissioner Phil Hogan this week, claiming it will make life easier for farmers.

Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen stressed „This is welcome news. Excessive red tape and bureaucracy stifles innovation and efficiency. A top priority for us is to deliver a real simplification of the CAP to make life easier for farmers, especially the complicated greening measures. These measures, which we have been calling for, are a step forward and will cut down on excessive and costly bureaucracy facing farmers”.

“Under the move, preventative preliminary checks which allow farmers to make corrections to their aid applications without suffering a penalty will be allowed.The highly bureaucratic system of administrative penalties for direct payments will also be replaced by a simple penalty approach which we appreciate. Finally, a “yellow card” system for first offenders will be introduced. In cases where the over-declaration is minor (below 10% of the area determined), the administrative penalty would be cut in half. Farmers who receive a yellow card will be registered and will be subject to an on-the-spot control the following year”.

“We urge Commissioner Hogan to carry on with the simplification process so that farmers can get on with their jobs and produce quality food to feed a growing population”, he concluded.

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