Overview of simplifications carried out since 2014 and simplifications in the pipeline
Issue / DescriptionDirect payments and IACS
March 2015:
- Amendments to R. 809/2014by Commission Implementing Act EU No 2015/747
IACS
(Aid applications, payment claims) / Modification in the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS). Possibility to postpone the final deadline to submit applicationsin 2015 (extend it to 15 June at the latest)
- Delegated Act 2015/1383
Voluntary Coupled support: / Additional flexibility with regard to the rules for identification and registration of animals concerning their eligibility under the voluntary coupled support scheme
May 2015: Amendments to Guidelines on IACS
IACS
(Ecological Focus Area (EFA) - layer) / Flexibility to map only 'declared EFAs' (and not all potential EFAs including those not covered by farmers' declarations)
Greater flexibility with regard to the identification of some types of EFAs in the EFA layer
Further flexibility to allow gaps up to 4 metres in hedges or wooded strips
A limited buffer area between the farmer's parcel boundary and the adjacent EFA was recognised
IACS
(On-the-spot checks) / In the case of incorrect declarations, farmers are allowed to compensate for a missing EFA by another EFA found in the same parcel during an on-the-spot check, even if the latter has not been declared
IACS
(LPIS) / Application of a simplified approach for the identification of some specific types of permanent grassland in the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS)
July 2015 – December 2016:
- Amendments to R. 639/2014 (by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 141/2016)
Young farmers / Introduction ofYoung Farmer joint control derogation clause. This derogation gives Member States the possibility to limit the Young Farmer Payment (YFP) to legal persons solely controlled by young farmers. It increases the effectiveness of the young farmer scheme, reduces the administrative burden linked to controls, as well as to align the Pillar 1 provisions for access to YFP with those of Pillar 2.
Voluntary Coupled support (VCS) / Introduction of modulated unit rates of aid within single VCS measure. This modification gives Member States the possibility to take into consideration different degrees of economy of scale and, on this ground, grant different support levels within the same VCS measure. This improves targeting and thus enables a more efficient use of resources.
Allow transfer of funds between VCS measures. This allows certain flexibility for MS to fine-tune their annual VCS envelopes at measure level, aiming at a more flexible and thus more effective use of resources
Simplification of the notification requirements of Member States.
- Amendments to R. 640/2014 (by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1393)
IACS
(Penalties) / 'Yellow card' system for first-time offenders (who over-declare between 3 and 10% are eligible for a 50% reduced penalty)
Lighter penalties for over-declarations (penalty of 1.5 times the value of the over-declared area)
Flexibility and adaptations of the penalty system for animal premiums
- Amendments to R. 809/2014(by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2333/2015)
IACS
(Aid applications and payment claims) / Possibility to use preliminary checks and correct any errors identified within a limit of 35 days after the end of the deadline for applications (available only to MS with a Geo-Spatial Aid Application (GSAA) fully in place)
IACS
(Aid applications) / Possibilities to modify their declarations regarding the use of their agricultural parcels for the purpose of greening
IACS
(Control rates) / Easing of conditions for lowering the control rate (OTSC rate)
IACS
(Selection of control sample) / Changes to the 'cascade sampling' aimed at reducing the number of OTSC by increasing the efficiency of the selection of the control sample
IACS
(Aid applications, payment claims) / Possibility to postpone the final deadline to submit applications in 2016 (extend it to 15 June at the latest)
Other
Payments to farmers / Possibility to pay up to 70% of advances for direct payments without finalising all controls (only administrative checks are required) and up to 85% of advances for support granted under rural development [Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1617]
Penalties to MS for late payments / Derogation from the application of reductions on late payments for the 2015 campaign (payments made after 30 June 2016 and before 15 October 2016)
2017:
- Amendments to R. 640/2014 (by Regulation (EU) 2017/723)
IACS
(Reductions for greening) / Softening of the greening reductions
IACS
(Aid applications and payment claims) / Possibility to postpone the final deadline to submit applicationsin 2017 (extend it to 15 June at the latest) [Regulation (EU) 2017/807]
- Amendments to R. 639/2014 (by Regulation (EU) 1155/2017)
Greening / Crop diversification: Possible (sub-national/farm level) differentiation by MS of the period of crop diversification; this gives MS greater flexibility to take into account diverse climatic conditions on their territory
Crop diversification: Possibility for farmers to declare crops grown on small area as a mixed (single) crops; this simplifies declaration of crops
EFA:Merging of certain strips and streamlining of the associated conditions
EFA:Merging of certain landscape features and streamlining of the associated conditions
EFA:Deletion of specifications for trees (minimum crown diameter and maximum distance between trees)
EFA:More flexibility for the qualification of some EFA elements, especially landscape features,by accepting as EFA elements exceeding the maximum dimensions up to the limit defined in the delegated regulation as EFA; this will allow farmers to count as EFAs environmentally valuable elements so far excluded due to their exceeding dimensions
EFA:More flexibility for the qualification of some EFA elements especially as regards landscape features adjacent to the agricultural parcel; this will allow farmers to count as EFAs further environmentally valuable elements connected to farmers' areas
EFA:Allowing mixture of seeds for Nitrogen Fixing Crops (NFC); modification reflects certain traditional cultivation practices that require mixing NFC with other crops.
EFA:Deletion of the obligation for geographical criterion where (NFC) can be established; the requirement aimed to address the risk of potential nitrogen leaching, however, proved to be overlapping with MS rules implementing Union nitrate and water legislation. Instead, it is clarified that MS may continue addressing the issue of potential nitrate leaching by setting relevant production methods.
EFA:Deletion of deadline for sowing catch crops or green cover; replacing this deadline by a common minimum period during which catch crops and green cover have to be on the field; this is to provide flexibility to take into account seasonal weather conditions
EFA:Adjustment of the list of species for under sowingby allowing the use of leguminous
EFA:Better specification as regards 'non-agricultural production: what is required from farmers and how this restriction related to rules under other CAP instruments
EFA: Specification as regards the length of Land Lying Fallow (LLF) period; this provides a minimal common period in MS with possibility to set such period to allow farmers to resume main crops before the end of the year.
EFA: Aligning the treatment of catch crops/ green cover and nitrogen-fixing crops in the context of equivalence schemes (RDP or certification schemes) to ensure equal treatment of farmers applying standard and equivalent practices
Young farmers / Clarification on the point in time when the "entry" age limit for legal persons under YFP applies: when the legal person with a young farmer in control applies for BPS/SAPS for the first time.
Objective is to ensure that legal and natural persons applying for the young farmer payment should be treated equally.
Voluntary Coupled Support / Simplification of the notification requirements of Member States(Deletion of VCS notification under Article 67(2))
Notification deleted because the quantitative elements of the annual report (total number of beneficiaries, total area or total number or animals determined for which the support will be paid) are collected for audit purposes via Statel/eDamis; as from CY2016, the financial elements of the annual report (amount of the payments granted per measure) are also available via AGREX.
Voluntary Coupled Support / Clarification of the rules applicable to the calculation of the 'per unit amount' of support.
Calculation of per unit amount for VCS:the per unit amount of support results from the ratio between the financial envelope allocated to a measure and either the applicable quantitative limit, or the number of hectares/animals eligible for the support in the year in question. The amendment clarifies that Member States may also decide to apply a per unit amount included within the range defined by the two values above when the number of eligible units is lower than the applicable quantitative limit.
Basic Payment Scheme / Clarification of the existing provisions
The aim is to clarify that for the purpose of Article 31(1)(b) of the BA a whole payment entitlement and a fraction of payment entitlement are treated equally as regards their activation on an area of a lower size than the corresponding payment entitlement or fraction of payment entitlement.
Rural development – 2015 until now
R. 808/2014 (amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1997/2016 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 669/2016)
Information and publicity requirements for beneficiaries / Reduced obligations for EAFRD beneficiaries to display information that they benefit from public support during project implementation (Poster or info plaque visible to the public):
(1) Withdrawal of information obligations for projects where total public support remains below EUR 50000 (previous threshold was EUR 10000)
(2) new option for MS to exempt beneficiaries of area and animal related scheme from information obligations,
Financial Instruments / Reduced requirements for the measure descriptions of financial instruments in RDPs and national frameworks.
Financial Instruments / Drop of the limits for programme modifications related to financial instruments (= exception to the rule of one RDP modification per year).
This facilitates the programming of the policy tool as it enables MS to introduce related changes to their RDPs at any time, even if the RDP already had been amended in a given year.
Areas facing natural constraints / Drop of the limits for programme modifications related to the new delimitation of areas facing significant natural constraints referred to in Article 32(5)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013(= exception to the rule of one RDP modification per year).
This is an exception to the rule of one RDP modification per year) which facilitates the programming of the new ANC area delimitation as it enables MS to introduce related changes to their RDPs at any time, even if the RDP already had been amended in a given year.
Rural Development Programme (RDP) response to emergency situations / Drop of the limits for programme modifications related to emergencies due to adverse climatic events, socioeconomic conditions, including significant and sudden demographic changes resulting from migration or reception of refugees(= exception to the rule of one RDP modification per year).
This exception facilitates the programming of emergency support as it enables MS to introduce related changes to their RDPs at any time, even if the RDP already had been amended in a given year.
Conversion rates for livestock-related commitments / To provide more flexibility to MS to define conversion rates for animals for the programming of livestock related commitments under Articles 28, 29 and 34 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013.
This increased flexibility enables MS to design tailor made schemes better reflecting the characteristics of the animals in the region, leading to higher acceptance among beneficiaries and consequently to a smoother implementation.
Amendment to R. 809/2014 (by Regulation (EU) 2015/2333)
Simplification of several IACS control rules / Provided the possibility of amending the payment claim following preliminary checks, possibility to implement collective claims for AECM, combined 1st and 2nd pillar samples, facilitated the method of completing the control rate for animals with floating retention period.
Amendment to R. 809/2014 (by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1174/2017
Control rules for non-IACS measures / (1) Streamline of control rules on financial instruments with those concerning other ESI Funds, flexibility for the delivery of small projects under LEADER, flexibility in terms of checks for operations with low support rate and for small projects, complementarity between administrative and on-the-spot controls.
Amendment of the livestock payment claims for short production cycle species / (2) Provision of flexibility in terms of the submission of the payment claims under the animal welfare measure in case of short production cycle species.
The payment claim no longer has to indicate the number of short production cycle species. That actual number of animal benefiting from improved welfare conditions will be established and verified on the basis of the slaughter certificates or other supporting documents, which are to be submitted to the competent authority on a date or a period to be decided and communicated to the applicants.
Amendment to R. 640/2014 (2016) (by Commission DelegatedRegulation (EU) No 2016/1393)
Simplification of the application of administrative penalties for area and animal related measures / (1) Penalty rules for area related rules have been softened and the application of administrative penalties have been adjusted to be more proportionate (yellow card),
(2) more flexibility has been provided with the application of administrative penalties for animal related measures, e.g. MS can establish a different threshold for animals found with non-compliances for short production cycle species.
Common Market Organisation (CMO Regulation) – since 2014
Wine
(National support programmes) / The simplification covers, amongst others: simplified cost reimbursement options (clarification of the rules), advance payments (same max level for all measures and limitation of the notification obligation), double financing (possibility to choose among different types of ex-ante demarcation coupled with efficient ex-post control), controls on promotion projects (possibility to perform OTSC at the site of the beneficiary or of the organising body; option to submit a certificate on financial statements), proportional reductions of aid due to partial execution (area-based measures), option to amend the authorised project during the implementation period.
[Delegated Regulation (EU) No 612/2014 and Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2016/149]
Fruit and vegetable sector / Simplification of recognition criteria for producer organisations (main activity, democratic accountability, outsourcing), related sanctions, broad and in-depth simplification of producer organisations recognition criteria and operational programmes, removal of the obligation of the mid term evaluation report. From 2017 on, MS will only have to issue the annual report; simplification of the annual reports of Producer Groups, Producer Organisations and associations of Producer Organisation (simplified indicators).
[Delegated Regulation (E) No 499/2014 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/891 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/893]
School scheme / Regulation (EU) 2016/791 of the EP/Council of 11.5.2016 merges the two existing schemes: school fruit and vegetables scheme and school milk scheme. Under the new common legal framework, Member States will draw up only one strategy to implement the scheme, covering a longer (6-year) period, and only one annual request for aid. The same managing and financial provisions will simplify implementation and allow for synergies (e.g. distribution of products, monitoring and evaluation).
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/39 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/40 of 3.11.2016 on the new school scheme also include simplifications such as: possibility to reimburse aid applicants on the basis of simplified cost options (unit costs, flat rates, lump sums); streamlined requirements (approval of applicants when public procurement; number of children in the school register "at the beginning of the school year"..).
[Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/40; Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/39]
Olive oil aid / Alignment/simplification of Commission implementing regulation for olive oil aid
[Delegated Regulation (EU) No 611/2014 and Implementing Regulation (EU) No 615/2014]
Carcass classification / Threshold for compulsory carcass classification: The slaughterhouses are obliged to apply carcass classification and price reporting above a certain number of slaughtering. In order to reduce the overall administrative burden for operators and administration.The threshold for compulsory carcass classification is increased from 75 bovines to 150 bovines per week and from 200 pigs to 500 pigs per week.
Authorisation of pig carcass grading methods: in order to simplify the authorisation test for pig carcass grading methods computer tomography is introduced as a secondary reference method to replace the manual dissection of pig carcasses for the authorisation trial.
On-the-spot checks, taken by the MS, based on risk analysis: The slaughterhouses that apply compulsory beef or pig carcass classification need to be checked twice per three months on average by the MS authority. Some MS cannot fulfil the required number of on-the-spot checks and control the required number of carcasses. Therefore the MS may determine the frequency of on-the-spot checks and the number of carcasses to be controlled to their needs.
[Delegated Regulation (EU) 1182/2017, Implementing Regulation (EU) 1184/2017]
Public intervention and private storage aid / Regulation establishing common rules for all products eligible for public intervention and aid for private storage schemes with the aim to simplify and improve the effectiveness of the management and control mechanisms related. Harmonisation of rules across the sectors.
[Implementing Regulation (EU) No 340/2014 and Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2016/1238 and Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2016/1240]
Trade mechanisms – licences / Regulation establishing common rules for applying the system of import and export licences.
Simplification and harmonisation of the horizontal licensing rules. Abolishing import / export licence obligation for several products, e. g. cereals (wheat, barley, maize), sugar (from 1 October 2017), garlic (from 1 October 2017), under preferential imports (without quantitative limitation) for beef and veal, milk products.
[Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1237 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1239]
Member States' notifications (ISAMM) / Regulation establishing common rules as regards notifications of the MS to the Commission for the purposes of scheme and market management under the Direct Payments Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 and the CMO Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013. Moreover, in line with the objective of reducing the number of legal acts and improving coherence, the currently separate legal provisions covering the notification of market information, particularly on prices and production, are being merged into one delegated and one implementing act. Finally, for the purposes of complying with requirements to make certain notifications to the World Trade Organisation, notably as concerns domestic support and export competition, the opportunity is being taken to provide for Member States to notify such information to the Commission by means of ISAMM