Scottish Farmers Support Calls on Co-Financing
NFU Scotland has joined up with farming unions across Europe to demand that national governments co-finance any transfer of funds from the direct payments pillar of the CAP to the rural development pillar.
The declaration was signed by farming union presidents from Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Denmark, France, Germany, Finland, Belgium and The Netherlands.
In their final CAP position, MEPs support the co-financing of transfers between the pillars. However, agriculture ministers agreed in February to allow transfers of up to 15% from direct support (pillar 1) to rural development (pillar 2) without any obligation on member states to match fund.
Signing up to the statement, NFU Scotland President Nigel Miller said:
“Co-financing is a fundamental part of existing rural development policy. Pillar 2 has always been accompanied by a national co-financing. This ensures that only projects that the member states themselves view as important enough to co-finance will be introduced.
“Making it mandatory for national governments to co-finance will reduce the movement of funds from pillar 1 to pillar 2 – and thereby also reduce the competitive distortion that could be created between member states.
“If member states are obliged to co-finance the rural developments projects, they are much more likely to ensure that the EU funds – along with the national contribution – are properly managed.
“Along with fellow farming Unions, we strongly urge the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the European Commission to ensure that mandatory co-financing of funds transferred from pillar 1 to pillar 2 are included in the final compromise on the reform of the CAP.”
Notes to Editors
- The joint statement on co-financing was signed by Nigel Miller, President - NFU Scotland; Peter Kendall, President - NFU; Ed Bailey, President - NFU Cymru; Harry Sinclair, President - Ulster Farmers Union; Joachim Rukwied, President - DBV (Germany); Martin Merrild, President – DAFC (Denmark); Albert Jan Matt, President – LTO (The Netherlands); Juha Martilla, President – MTK (Finland); Piet Vanthemsche, President – Boerenbond (Belgium); Xavier Beulin, President – FNSEA (France).
Ends
Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006
Date Published: 08/05/2013
News Article No.: 62/13
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