REPS & Environment

Closing date for applications by farmers under the 2004 EU Area Aid Scheme has been extended by two weeks. The closing date is now Friday, 16 April 2004. If in REPS, or planning to join, remember to submit an Area Aid form. Remember also to declare all land.

REPS and Area Aid

If you are participating in REPS or the Afforestation Premium Scheme, you are obliged to declare this on your Area Aid form. It is an EU requirement that you must also declare all the land parcels to which you have entitlement for the 2004 Area Aid Scheme on your 2004 Area Aid application form. All REPS applicants and also those intending to join REPS must therefore ensure that all their land is declared on the 2004 Area Aid application form. This includes bog plots, farmyards, forestry and other non-forage area.

Commonage shares in Area Aid

In all cases where commonage shares or grazing rights are declared for the purpose of drawing down aid, one of the conditions of eligibility is the existence of documentary evidence of entitlement to the shares or rights declared. Details of documentation acceptable to satisfy eligibility on title are given in the Area Aid Helpsheet. If you are again claiming the same commonage shares in 2004 as you did in 2003, there is no need to submit a further of your proof that has already been submitted by you and accepted by the Area Aid Unit.

In the case of commonage declared as forage area, any necessary deduction should be made from the gross area of the commonage so that the individual net area claims by the shareholders are accurate.