Irish Regions Office Website

June 12, 2008

Review of CAP Less Favoured Area (LFA) scheme

The Less Favoured Area (LFA) scheme is a CAP mechanism to maintain the countryside in marginal areas. Current EU Rural Development Policy includes the support scheme for farmers in areas with handicaps under its EAFRD Axis 2, which aims to improve the environment and the countryside by supporting sustainable land management. Currently 75% of Ireland’s land area - mostly along the Western seaboard and Border region with scattered areas of the Midlands, Southeast and Wicklow - and a similar proportion of the farming population are designated as “areas in danger of abandonment of land use”. These areas have relatively high rural populations yet have traditionally been underdeveloped economically by limited off-farm opportunities and consequently they continue to trail the rest of the country in income and employment terms. In the absence of a Community-wide system for LFA classification in line with the new policy objectives, a review process of LFA implementation began in late 2006 and its findings will go towards a report and proposals for a Council Directive later this year concerning the future payments and designation system. A public consultation is now underway to analyse the economic, social and environmental aspects of the problems linked to the LFA scheme and of the impact, the advantages and drawbacks of a number of different options for the future including using national indicators of natural handicaps; common and objective natural handicap delimitation criteria; a common framework for the eligibility rules to be applied at farm level within the designated areas; and linking support to the preservation of high nature value farming systems defined on the basis of common criteria. Proposals by interested parties and civil society organisations are welcome until 30 June. Contributions (which will remain confidential) should be sent by e-mail to AGRI-F3@ec.europa.euFurther details: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/consultations/lfa/index_en.htm

Posted by iroronan at June 12, 2008 04:22 PM