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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Farm double payments clear hurdle | Farm double payments clear hurdle |
| (5 days later) | |
| By Roger Harrabin Environment analyst | By Roger Harrabin Environment analyst |
| Farmers could be paid twice for measures to protect the environment under a European Parliament deal. | Farmers could be paid twice for measures to protect the environment under a European Parliament deal. |
| The Agriculture Committee agreed that EU rules forbidding double payments should be waived to help farmers. | The Agriculture Committee agreed that EU rules forbidding double payments should be waived to help farmers. |
| Green campaigners say the vote is a scandal and must be over-turned by the full Parliament and member states. | Green campaigners say the vote is a scandal and must be over-turned by the full Parliament and member states. |
| The motion was passed because many MEPs want to shield farmers’ incomes from the Commission's planned reform of the costly Common Agricultural Policy. | The motion was passed because many MEPs want to shield farmers’ incomes from the Commission's planned reform of the costly Common Agricultural Policy. |
| At the moment farmers get paid an annual average of 200 euros per hectare in direct payments from taxpayers - for doing little more than owning land. | |
| If they want to be paid more they can opt for an extra green payment to help wildlife. It is under a different section of the budget and gains a further 80 euros. | If they want to be paid more they can opt for an extra green payment to help wildlife. It is under a different section of the budget and gains a further 80 euros. |
| With critics of the EU clamouring to end farm hand-outs, the Commission says farmers should earn a third of their direct payments by farming in a way that benefits the environment. | With critics of the EU clamouring to end farm hand-outs, the Commission says farmers should earn a third of their direct payments by farming in a way that benefits the environment. |
| The committee agrees to that reform of direct payments. It means that all farmers will have to “green” their activities to get full direct payment. | The committee agrees to that reform of direct payments. It means that all farmers will have to “green” their activities to get full direct payment. |
| But the MEPs insisted that farmers who are already gaining extra payments for green activities should be entitled to keep them – on top of the money they will get from the direct payment - but without doing any more to earn the cash. | But the MEPs insisted that farmers who are already gaining extra payments for green activities should be entitled to keep them – on top of the money they will get from the direct payment - but without doing any more to earn the cash. |
| In other words, to be paid twice for the same thing. | In other words, to be paid twice for the same thing. |
| Faustine Defossez, Agriculture Policy Officer at the European Environmental Bureau, said: "In times of austerity, when governments and citizens across Europe are tightening their purse strings, it is scandalous - not to mention illegal - to expect taxpayers to pay farmers twice." | Faustine Defossez, Agriculture Policy Officer at the European Environmental Bureau, said: "In times of austerity, when governments and citizens across Europe are tightening their purse strings, it is scandalous - not to mention illegal - to expect taxpayers to pay farmers twice." |
| She urged the full Parliament to over-turn the vote to prove they were representing people, not just farmers. She said a previous planned reform of the farm budget was much more fair. | She urged the full Parliament to over-turn the vote to prove they were representing people, not just farmers. She said a previous planned reform of the farm budget was much more fair. |
| Campaign group WWF said the committee’s vote was outrageous and would bring the EU into disrepute. | Campaign group WWF said the committee’s vote was outrageous and would bring the EU into disrepute. |
| A source close to the negotiations told BBC News that over-turning the committee vote might prove difficult. | A source close to the negotiations told BBC News that over-turning the committee vote might prove difficult. |
| The UK government says the double-payment plan must be blocked. It is likely to face extreme pressure on the issue from Conservative back-benchers already angry with the Brussels budget. | The UK government says the double-payment plan must be blocked. It is likely to face extreme pressure on the issue from Conservative back-benchers already angry with the Brussels budget. |
| Follow Roger on Twitter | Follow Roger on Twitter |