Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski on behalf of the European Commission
28.9.2023
1. According to Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013[1], the total amount of direct payments available to Spain in the 6 years of 2015-2020 was about EUR 29.227 billion, with a yearly average of EUR 4.871.320 billion, whereas Annex V of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115[2] provides for a total amount of direct payments of about EUR 24.440 billion for the five years of 2023-2027, with a yearly average of EUR 4.888.019 billion. Therefore, there is a slightly higher direct payments budget per year in the new period in Spain.
2. Funding per hectare is based on the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) plus the funding coming from a range of other interventions (redistributive payments, eco-schemes, payments for areas with natural constraints, etc.). Funding per hectare for these interventions depends on Member States’ choices in their Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plans and on individual farmers’ choices to participate or not in, for instance, eco-schemes. The level of the BISS unit amount in Spain is very close to those of France, Croatia, or Finland.
3. In the Spanish CAP Strategic Plan, there is a combined approach of regulatory and voluntary support tools related to sustainable pesticide and nutrient management to address water quality. Besides the standard for good agricultural and environmental condition of land GAEC 2 aiming to improve the water quality, this includes also an additional GAEC 10, for an improved nutrient management. A national law adopted in December 2022 sets-up the gradual implementation of these additional sustainable fertilisation practices. The Commission is currently informed of the application of the digital farm notebook, which will begin on 1 January 2024 for farms of more than 30 hectares.