EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 84/603

(2004/C 84 E/0678)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0486/04

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(23 February 2004)

Subject: The new CAP and direct aid to the enlargement countries

The agricultural agreement on the accession of the eastern European countries to the European Union will allow these countries to grant direct aid to farmers.

Given that the accession countries will be able to combine this direct aid with rural development funding and national aid during the transitional period, does the Commission have full information on the overall amounts of direct aid which farmers will receive in each of the new Member States?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(14 April 2004)

Farmers in the new Member States acceding to the EU as from 1 May 2004 will be eligible for direct payments. However, during a transitional period these direct payments are phased in; starting at a 25 % level in 2004 to a 100 % level in 2013 (1). On top of the EU funded direct payments, the new Member States may pay complementary national direct payments during a transitional period.

The complementary national direct payments are subject to several limitations. In any case, the EU direct payments and the complementary national payments together may not be more than 100 % of the level of the EU direct payments. Furthermore, the programmes for complementary national direct payments have to be approved by the Commission before they may be implemented. In the years 2004 to 2006, the expenditure for the national complementary direct payments can be co-financed from the rural development allocations of the new Member States. However, co-financing is only available up to 40 % of the EU direct payments level and only 20 % of the rural development allocations may be used for that purpose.

Apart from the direct payments and in accordance with the Act of Accession, Latvia and Cyprus may grant nationally financed State aids to specific sectors during a transitional period. These State aids are limited by precise, per sector maxima in the Act of Accession (Act of Accession, Annex II, Chapter 6 Agriculture, Point 27 (f) (2)).

Measures under Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 (3), as adapted in particular by the Act of Accession, are aimed at projects or activities that need to be supported in the context of the EU's rural development policy; i.e. investment in holdings and food processing, undertakings to improve the environment, farming in less favoured areas, semi-subsistence aid, etc.

At present, the Commission does not have information on the total level of EU direct payments and national complementary direct payments that will be paid in the new Member States. No national programme for complementary direct payments has been approved yet.

(1) See Articlela of Council Regulation (EC) No 1259/1999 of 17 May 1999 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy, OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, as amended by the Act of Accession.

(2) OJ L 236, 23.9.2003.

(3) Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain Regulations, OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.