Application procedure for EU agricultural subsidy 2016

4.5.2016

Question for written answer E-003783-16
to the Commission
Rule 130
David McAllister (PPE)

In publication 17/5555 (Question and Answer no 57) of the Lower Saxony Regional Parliament, the Regional Government explains why there were complications and problems in Lower Saxony with this year's application procedure for EU agricultural subsidy. It states:

‘Unfortunately the binding legal requirements for the opening of the 2016 application procedure were met only very late, because the Federal Government's regulation amending the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) Regulation was only published on 8 March 2016. This was partly due to the fact that fundamental implementation issues first needed to be clarified at short notice with the Commission in order for the 2016 direct payments to be granted’.

1. Is it true that the Commission still had fundamental implementation issues which had to be clarified at short notice, and that it was essential for this to happen before the Lower Saxony Digital Agriculture Subsidy (Agrarförderung Niedersachsen Digital — ANDI) programmes could be sent in?

2. In the Commission's view, would it really not have been possible to open the agriculture subsidy application procedure first?