EFA Update February 10, 2014 12:00 am We wrote last month on the emerging detail of the Ecological Focus Areas (EFA) rules. This element of greening is proving contentious and arguments are continuing in Brussels on precise rules and definitions. Although what we published still provides a good guide to the overall shape of the requirement, the detail is still subject to change. The weighting and conversion factors are the subject of debate. Also, whether it will be possible to use fertilisers and pesticides on EFA areas (including nitrogen-fixing and catch crops). Lastly, the penalties for non-compliance with greening need to be made more ‘proportionate’ according to some Member States. The Implementing Regulations that will set out the rules are expected to be published on the 10th March. Hopefully, all will become clear at that point (although the EU rules still need to be transposed into national schemes). The Implementing Regulations should also provide more clarity on the Active Farmer rules and the definitions for the Young Farmers Scheme. One correction from last month’s EFA article. In the first paragraph it stated that those ‘…who have more than 15 hectares of arable land will be required to put 5% of their holding into EFA‘. It should have read ‘..will be required to put 5% of their arable area into EFA’. Our apologies.
