Restricting start-up aid for young farmers — standard gross product ceilings

23.4.2015

Question for written answer E-006565-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Dominique Bilde (NI) , Sophie Montel (NI)

As part of the Rural Development Regulation, the Commission set lower and upper thresholds on the standard gross product (SGP) for the purpose of allocating start-up aid. The lower limit is set at EUR 10 000 and the upper limit at EUR 1 200 000. The ceiling could be raised to EUR 2 000 000, as holdings are becoming increasingly large and acquisitions increasingly expensive.

If this happens, some project initiators will be ineligible for this aid since the ceiling might be too low for some start-up companies and landless production start-ups. As it stands, more than 60% of agricultural start-ups in France are set up as companies.

Does the Commission intend to confirm that the SGP ceiling should apply to the individual rather than the entire agricultural holding?