As the October 12th  release days grows ever nearer, seven new documents leaked from the European Commission reveal the EC intends to maintain a concerted emphasis on greening measures as part of its proposals for Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post 2014. The plans show a continued move towards greening pillar 1 (direct payments) of the CAP. image expired

The leaked plans show that the Commission seeks to increase the proportion of direct payments covered by mandatory greening measures to 30 per cent, as well as increasing ecological set aside from 5 per cent to 7 per cent of farmland; this excludes permanent grassland mentioned in previous leaks.

Other greening measures, outlined in previous leaked documents, still stand. Under commissioner Dacian Ciolos' proposals farmers will still be required to leave an area of permanent grassland and grow at least 3 crops on their land, within predefined limits. Furthermore, to meet the ecological requirements outlined in today’s leaks, farmers would have adopt measures including fallow land, terraces, landscape features, buffer strips and forested areas as part of their 7 per cent.

Plans to set a maximum limit on payments have also been retained. There will be a cap on payments over €150,000, with an upper ceiling of €300,000. These cuts will not apply to the environmental element of pillar one support, to prevent farmers being deterred from greening their land.

Farming leaders, who had previously criticised greening measures suggested by the Commission, have reacted strongly to the latest release. The proposals are currently under consultation in Brussels, where commissioners have until 12th September to offer opinions, before they are published.

The NFU said the plans represent a "step backwards" and could inhibit farmers' productivity, leading to rises in food prices and difficulties in feeding a growing population. An NFU Brussels spokesperson said, "We had hoped the Commission would give us a clear indication of how farming should look in the future but these proposals seem confused and complicated with no clear direction. We are struggling to see how they will help farmers face up to the big challenges of today let alone feeding a growing population sustainably in the future."

Defra ministers also oppose the ramping up of greening measures. Earlier in the week Farming Minister Jim Paice echoed the NFU’s sentiments. Defra sees the EC’s CAP proposals as fundamentally oppositional to the department's own crusade to eradicate aspects of legislation which it sees as 'red tape.'

The total CAP budget for 2014, when the new rules decided next year will take effect, up until 2020, will be €435.6 billion (£382.9bn). Of this, €317.2bn will go to Pillar 1 and €101.2bn on Pillar 2. The rest will be divided between research and development (€5.1bn), food safety (€2.5bn), support for deprived persons (€2.8bn), a crisis fund (€3.9bn) and €2.8bn for a globalisation fund, which will compensate for the effects of trade liberalisation.