Member states show support for alternative 'greening' menu plan

摘要

The European Commission plan to tie 30% of direct payments to three EU-wide 'greening' measures from 2014 could be over, after a majority of member states voiced support for an alternative 'menu' proposal. The move would see governments choose one ofthree options: the first would see 10% of Pillar One (PI) funds be used for agri-environmental projects, the second would oblige farmers not "green by definition" to fulfil three criteria and the third would merge greening requirements with cross-compliance. The plan - presented by Luxembourg but driven by Germany, the UK, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands - would seemingly give member states more operational flexibility in the drive to make the CAP more environmentally-friendly.