At talks held in Luxembourg yesterday, EU farm ministers scrutinised proposals on support payments for farmers under the reformed Common Agricultural Policy. Reforms are due to take effect in 2014, but continued disagreement and delays mean they will most likely be postponed until 2015.

Negotiations yesterday focused on direct payments, including single farm payments. Ministers debated how new Basic Payments should be introduced, payment capping and support for young farmers.

There have been recriminations within the UK over the Westminster government’s actions in ongoing CAP negotiations. Earlier this week it was revealed that UK politicians have been pushing for the power to shift 20 per cent of member states’ CAP budget from pillar one (direct payments) into pillar two (rural development). Farming unions warned that this could disadvantage farmers if implemented in the UK and not elsewhere and accused the government of using the optional shift as an opportunity to reduce its own spending on rural development measures.

Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead, who was at the Luxembourg talks, commented on Wednesday, “I’ll work hard to ensure that Scotland’s diverse needs are met in these negotiations, despite the UK Government’s unhelpful desire to see these payments slashed.”

During Thursday’s negotiations, ministers also debated the definition of the 'active farmer', a concept which features heavily in the European Commission’s CAP proposals, released last autumn, though which remains loosely defined. As the reformed CAP will be delivered to a reduced budget, ministers agreed there is a need to ensure payments go to support food producers; it has been revealed that CAP payments are seen as a lucrative investment opportunity by some and have been claimed by organisations and individuals who are not engaged in food production or rural development.

Calls for greater flexibility in defining what constitutes an active farmer between member states were rejected by agriculture commissioner Dacian Ciolos in favour of forming a unified definition.

The ministers agreed that the burden of proof that claimants are engaged in food production should lie with the claimants themselves, rather than national authorities, as is currently the case. The delegates suggested compiling a ‘negative list’ excluding undeserving recipients from direct payments under the reformed CAP.  

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