Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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1702. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cross-compliance rules under CAP regulations 1306/2013 and 1307/2014; the percentage of beneficiaries that must be checked via on-the-spot controls including rural development programme schemes; his views on a matter (details supplied). [28509/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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EU regulations governing the Direct Payment Schemes and Rural Development measures require my Department to carry out Cross Compliance inspections on 1% of beneficiaries to ensure compliance with the Statutory Management Requirements (SMRs) and the standards for Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) in the areas of the environment, climate change and good agricultural condition of land; public, animal and plant health and animal welfare.

Participants in the Agri-environmental schemes, e.g. GLAS, AEOS, are required to deliver certain actions to a standard higher than the general Cross Compliance requirements referred to above. These specific cross compliance requirements are termed as baseline requirements. The EU regulations governing the Agri-environmental schemes require that 5% of beneficiaries must be inspected annually, which includes inspection to ensure compliance with these baseline requirements where applicable to the actions taken.

My Department will implement any simplification measures introduced by the EU to lessen the burden on both farmers and administrations, while continuing to maintain the overall aim of the various schemes.