WRITTEN QUESTION E-2728/02

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(30 September 2002)

Subject: Non-payment of aid to Greek organic farmers

Organic farmers in the prefecture of Pireas whose applications were accepted from 1999 under the relevant EU-funded programme have not received payment in respect of their 2000 and 2001 crops. It appears that similar problems have arisen in other prefectures in Greece.

Can the Commission give the reasons for non-payment of aid and say what steps it intends to take to ensure that the farmers in question receive the aid to which they are entitled?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(5 November 2002)

The Commission's initial information is that failure to pay the organic farming agri-environmental premiums to certain recipients in the Pireas prefecture for 2000 and 2001 under Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92(1) followed notification to the national authorities by the Pireas agriculture department that these recipients' agri-environmental commitments had been made irregularly in that they were given during 1999 instead of at the beginning of the year (which would have allowed compliance with the commitments to be thoroughly checked during the various growing stages). This in fact meant that the payments made at the end of 1999 should have been made at the end of the following year, i.e. the payments due for 2000 had already been made in 1999 and as long as the legal and control procedure difficulties engendered by the situation remained unresolved further payments were blocked. The Greek authorities have informed the Commission that these difficulties have been cleared up and that the payments for 2001 and 2002 can be made at the end of the year. Given the lack of clarity surrounding agri-environmental commitments in the Pireas prefecture, the Commission will however be seeking further information from the Greek authorities.

According to the national authorities the problem arose in this prefecture only.

(1) Council Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92 of 30 June 1992 on agricultural production methods compatible with the requirements of protection of the environment and maintenance of the countryside (OJ L 215, 30.7.1992).