EU agricultural subsidies

13.11.2019

Question for written answer E-003813/2019
to the Commission
Rule 138
Martin Häusling (Verts/ALE), Francisco Guerreiro (Verts/ALE), Sarah Wiener (Verts/ALE), Bronis Ropė (Verts/ALE), Benoît Biteau (Verts/ALE), Tilly Metz (Verts/ALE), Pär Holmgren (Verts/ALE), Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg (Verts/ALE), Molly Scott Cato (Verts/ALE)

A New York Times investigation, conducted in nine EU countries during much of 2019, has uncovered a subsidy system that is deliberately opaque, grossly undermines the EU’s environmental goals and is warped by corruption and self-dealing.

The New York Times skilfully demonstrates how and why land is changing hands and how small local farmers are being displaced. Ultimately, it is only about receiving EU agricultural subsidies with mostly no binding obligations. The big beneficiaries are not concerned about the harvest or how their food is produced: they only care about receiving per-hectare subsidies. In addition, they do not manage their land in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.

What will the Commission do to stop this practice?

Will it suggest, during the CAP negotiations, that information on ultimate beneficial owners be requested via the integrated administration and control system (IACS) and that the amount of money going to any one ultimate beneficial owner be capped and how will it verify information on ultimate beneficial owners?

Does it believe that its proposed measures on the environment, animal welfare and the climate are robust enough to stop this practice?