The European Commission want member states to establish a proper farmer pension scheme, a well-placed source in Brussels has told the Irish Farmers Journal.
A proposal for the next CAP presented by the European Commission last year proposed that older farmers in receipt of a pension should not receive farm payments.
“It’s in our proposal and the proposal is being discussed now by member states and by the European Parliament. It has raised quite a lot of criticism so it’s quite possible that there may be some changes,” the source said.
Generational renewal
“For us, it has all to do with generational renewal; we see farmers clinging on to their land and not handing over to the next generation.
“What we wanted to do is that they should no longer be eligible for only a part of the farm payment – those that are based on the surface, on the hectares,” they said – essentially the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS).
“Everything else they can continue to receive.
“Of course, if somebody doesn’t have any pension at all, they should also continue to receive [payments], but where you have a national pension, then we think agricultural subsidies are not a social security system.”
Brussels wants “productive agriculture, active farmers”, they said, adding that it is difficult to see how the proposal will play out.
“We want to incentivise, we want that member states set up a proper farmer pension system and then the farmer at 68 or 70 has a pension that allows him or her to continue basically. The agriculture policy is not the social policy,” they added.
Retirement measure
When asked if the Commission would introduce a farm retirement measure in the next CAP, they said: “We can’t do that from Brussels but we would like it to come around”.
This appears to put the ball in Ireland’s court in terms of its plan for the next CAP, with any decision on a retirement scheme a decision for the Irish Government.
Next CAP budget
It is expected that the Cypriot presidency will report in April with the likely budget for the next CAP and it is understood that it wants a discussion on the numbers in June. This would occur just as Ireland is poised to take the reins and assume the presidency for the second half of the year.
A decision on the next budget is expected in December.
“Our plan A is that there is agreement on the numbers in December. Then agreement on the sectoral legislation, CAP regulation, Common Markets Organisation – early on in 2027.
“Then the [new CAP] plans are being done, plans are submitted by summer, the Commission screens the plans, negotiates perhaps to improve certain things, and it goes to council for approval towards the end of 2027.
“So, the farmer that takes the decision of what to plant in spring knows what to expect. If that plan doesn’t work, I think we need to think about a transition,” the source said.
The European Commission want member states to establish a proper farmer pension scheme, a well-placed source in Brussels has told the Irish Farmers Journal.
A proposal for the next CAP presented by the European Commission last year proposed that older farmers in receipt of a pension should not receive farm payments.
“It’s in our proposal and the proposal is being discussed now by member states and by the European Parliament. It has raised quite a lot of criticism so it’s quite possible that there may be some changes,” the source said.
Generational renewal
“For us, it has all to do with generational renewal; we see farmers clinging on to their land and not handing over to the next generation.
“What we wanted to do is that they should no longer be eligible for only a part of the farm payment – those that are based on the surface, on the hectares,” they said – essentially the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS).
“Everything else they can continue to receive.
“Of course, if somebody doesn’t have any pension at all, they should also continue to receive [payments], but where you have a national pension, then we think agricultural subsidies are not a social security system.”
Brussels wants “productive agriculture, active farmers”, they said, adding that it is difficult to see how the proposal will play out.
“We want to incentivise, we want that member states set up a proper farmer pension system and then the farmer at 68 or 70 has a pension that allows him or her to continue basically. The agriculture policy is not the social policy,” they added.
Retirement measure
When asked if the Commission would introduce a farm retirement measure in the next CAP, they said: “We can’t do that from Brussels but we would like it to come around”.
This appears to put the ball in Ireland’s court in terms of its plan for the next CAP, with any decision on a retirement scheme a decision for the Irish Government.
Next CAP budget
It is expected that the Cypriot presidency will report in April with the likely budget for the next CAP and it is understood that it wants a discussion on the numbers in June. This would occur just as Ireland is poised to take the reins and assume the presidency for the second half of the year.
A decision on the next budget is expected in December.
“Our plan A is that there is agreement on the numbers in December. Then agreement on the sectoral legislation, CAP regulation, Common Markets Organisation – early on in 2027.
“Then the [new CAP] plans are being done, plans are submitted by summer, the Commission screens the plans, negotiates perhaps to improve certain things, and it goes to council for approval towards the end of 2027.
“So, the farmer that takes the decision of what to plant in spring knows what to expect. If that plan doesn’t work, I think we need to think about a transition,” the source said.