EU to Allot Direct Subsidies Only to Active Farmers after 2014

European Commissioner for Agriculture, Dacian Ciolos. Photo by EPA/BGNES

After 2014 the European Union will allot direct agricultural subsidies only to active farmers and not to landowners who do not cultivate the land, the bloc's Commissioner for Agriculture, Dacian Ciolos, announced.

Following the approval of the European Union budget proposal for the period 2014 to 2020, the European Commission is about to begin to prepare legislative proposals to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). It is expected to be published in October.

"We will propose a simplified financial support for small farmers and define clearly what a farmer and an active farmer means to avoid that subsidies go to the landowners who are not farmers and do not cultivate the land," Ciolos said, as quoted by Agerpres agency.

Bulgaria can count on a 10-15% increase in the monies from EU funds after 2014, it emerged after the European Commission approved late on Wednesday a proposal for the EU budget 2014-2020.

The European Commission has proposed to streamline faster the levels of agricultural subsidies in the old and new member states, which according to Bulgarian European Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva can boost direct payments to Bulgarian farmers by 70%.

A total of 30% of the money, however, will be granted only on condition that the farmers develop organic agriculture, according to Commissioner Georgieva.

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