European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen justified his plans to scrap farm income supports for older farmers by saying the move is aimed at combatting the payment of CAP funds to those who are not actively farming.
Speaking before the Oireachtas committee on EU affairs on Tuesday, Commissioner Hansen said that his proposals for the next CAP would force the end of farm income supports by 2032 - but not agri-environmental schemes or investment grants - for farmers of retirement age in six years’ time.
“What we have proposed as well now in the CAP is that the degressive area-based payments should be linked as well that, when you get your pension, in principle you are not allowed to get this anymore,” the commissioner stated.
“Some member states are already doing that. This does not exclude investment support. This does not exclude the agri-environmental measures.
“So even if you are producing and when you are 80 years of age, you can still get this, but the degressive area-based [payments] should be at those who are not yet retired.”
Contributing
Commissioner Hansen said that “many member states, including Ireland” have a “lot of beneficiaries that get money, but they say I'm not a farmer”.
He suggested his plans to stop CAP payments for pensioners would help ensure funds get to those who are “actively producing”, contributing to food security and ensuring food remains affordable.
The commissioner also said that member states that are against his proposal to cease CAP income supports to farmers of pensionable age on income grounds should make their pension regimes more attractive, which is an issue for national governments, rather than the EU.
“Sometimes it's because they need to continue because their pension is not sufficiently rewarding, so that, again, the pension is a national competence that needs to be worked as well then to make it sufficiently attractive.”
Read more
40,000 older farmers face farm payments wipeout
Lump sum payments for both young and old farmers recommended
European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen justified his plans to scrap farm income supports for older farmers by saying the move is aimed at combatting the payment of CAP funds to those who are not actively farming.
Speaking before the Oireachtas committee on EU affairs on Tuesday, Commissioner Hansen said that his proposals for the next CAP would force the end of farm income supports by 2032 - but not agri-environmental schemes or investment grants - for farmers of retirement age in six years’ time.
“What we have proposed as well now in the CAP is that the degressive area-based payments should be linked as well that, when you get your pension, in principle you are not allowed to get this anymore,” the commissioner stated.
“Some member states are already doing that. This does not exclude investment support. This does not exclude the agri-environmental measures.
“So even if you are producing and when you are 80 years of age, you can still get this, but the degressive area-based [payments] should be at those who are not yet retired.”
Contributing
Commissioner Hansen said that “many member states, including Ireland” have a “lot of beneficiaries that get money, but they say I'm not a farmer”.
He suggested his plans to stop CAP payments for pensioners would help ensure funds get to those who are “actively producing”, contributing to food security and ensuring food remains affordable.
The commissioner also said that member states that are against his proposal to cease CAP income supports to farmers of pensionable age on income grounds should make their pension regimes more attractive, which is an issue for national governments, rather than the EU.
“Sometimes it's because they need to continue because their pension is not sufficiently rewarding, so that, again, the pension is a national competence that needs to be worked as well then to make it sufficiently attractive.”
Read more
40,000 older farmers face farm payments wipeout
Lump sum payments for both young and old farmers recommended
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