WRITTEN QUESTION E-1296/00 by Eurig Wyn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Agriculture ‐ HLCA schemes.
20. 2. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 53 E/123 The handling of the applications for the funding of projects such as these is not carried out by the Commission but has been delegated to the British authorities and specifically the National Assembly for Wales and the Wales European funding office. Consequently it is to these latter organisations that interested groups should address their requests. (2001/C 53 E/156) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1296/00 by Eurig Wyn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (19 April 2000) Subject: Agriculture ü HLCA schemes Less-favoured area in Wales account for 82 % of the agricultural area. Compensation is available for those farmers in LFAs who suffer from what the Commission terms ápermanent natural handicapí and the obvious difficulties ü climate, soil, topography ü that hamper farming these remote parts of Wales. The current review of the HLCA scheme in the EU moves payments from a headage basis to an area basis. to the Commission under the Rural Development The Welsh Assembly has submitted a proposal Regulation. Can the Commission confirm that all other Member State plans for the revised HLCA schemes will be based on standardised criteria and that it will not discriminate between one Member State and another Member State which may not apply the same national criteria? Furthermore, will the Commission confirm that the UK will continue HLCA payments at the upper levels paid over the last two years and not revert back to 1997 levels which will cripple the agricultural community in Wales farming in less-favoured areas? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (24 May 2000) The Honourable Member refers to the impact of the new approach for payment of compensatory allowances in the less favoured areas of Wales, and requests assurance that first, the payments will be based on standardised criteria and second, the United Kingdom will maintain recent payment levels rather than those prior to 1997. Chapter V (Articles 13-21) of 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 (1) establishes a common framework and conditions for the implementa- tion of compensatory allowances in less-favoured areas and areas with environmental restrictions. While payment of compensatory allowances is not mandatory, for those Member States choosing to implement such payments, the Commission can give assurance that they will comply with the terms of Articles 13- 21. However, respecting the conditions laid down and the levels of aid specified in the annex to the regulation, it is not necessarily the case that all Member States will implement identical schemes. It should be noted that Article 37(4) allows Member States to lay down further or more restrictive conditions for granting Community support. It is difficult to guarantee the former levels of aid as the payment system has switched from being based on life stock livestock to an area based payment. However the Commission will assess whether hill compensatory allowance schemes (HLCA) make an effective contribution to compensation for existing handicaps. (1) OJ L 160, 26. 6. 1999