Financial incentives to facilitate enforcement

1. Financial incentives to facilitate enforcement Véronique Schmit Enforcement of European Animal Welfare Related Legislation– 12 &13 June 2012

2. The Common Agricultural Policy 2 types of subsidies • Direct payments: to compensate farmers for low income; 100% EU funds • Rural development support: to help farmers engage in specific activities; co-funded – generally 50% EU & 50 % national funds

3. Incentives for enforcement under direct payments 2 mechanisms: • Cross-compliance: - For all direct support - For specific RD support: agri- environment, animal welfarepayment • Special support under Article 68: - for enhanced animal welfare

4. Cross-compliance • Respect of 3 animal welfare directives as a condition to receive CAP subsidies: - General farm directive - Pigs Directive - Calves Directive • Subsidies can be retained/reduced • Negligence; minor non-compliance

5. Cross-compliance: reductions in case of negligence • Non-compliance resulting from the negligence of the farmer: reduction of 3 % of the total amount – but paying agency can decide it to be 1%, 5% or 0% • Farmers must remedy to the situation within a given deadline set by the Competent authority. At the latest by end of following year. • If repeated non-compliance due to negligence, then reduction must be applied

6. Cross-compliance inspection results UK (England) • Welfare of calves: 17 failuresfound in 2011 Ex: insufficient or no bedding • Welfare of pigs: 15 failuresfound in 2011 Ex: No permanent access to clean drinking water; No clean, comfortablelying area • General farm animal welfare: 120 failuresfound in 2011 Ex: sickanimalsdid not receive adequate care; inappropriatefeeding; staff with no properskills

7. Incentives for enforcementunder rural development Axis 1 measures: • Meeting standards • Modernisation of agricultural holdings • Vocational training • Participation in food quality schemes • Use of advisory services Axis 2: • Animal welfare payments

8. Additional incentives: State aid • At national level • Approved by the European Commission • Following the rules of rural development support Ex: Laying hens: France, Bulgaria Sow stalls: France Conditions: Max 40% of investment cost Period of grace of 36 months may be provided

9. CAP reform proposals • Cross-compliance: status-quo and exemption for small farmers scheme • Rural development: no measure “Meeting standards”; animal welfare payments not compulsory • Investments under RD do not cover adaptation to meet standards

10. Eurogroup demands • Cross-compliance : • Requirements to include all animal welfare directives: laying hens, meat chickens • No exemption for small farmers scheme • Data obtained from the application of cross-compliance to be used to improve enforcement • Rural development: • animal welfare payments to be compulsory • All measures to be used to improve animal welfare and thus enforcement with current rules

11. Financial incentives to facilitate enforcement Thank you For more information: v.schmit@eurogroupforanimals.org Enforcement of European Animal Welfare Related Legislation– 12 &13 June 2012