The new rules, which came into force on 22 May 2018, will allow data from the EU's Copernicus Sentinel satellites and other Earth observation data to be used as evidence when checking farmers' fulfilment of requirements under the CAP for area-based payments (either direct payments to farmers or rural development support payments), as well as cross-compliance requirements, such as stubble burning. Other new forms of evidence such as geo-tagged photos, information from drones and relevant supporting documentation from farmers, such as seed labels, will also be acceptable for the first time, as part of a broader shift towards a so-called ‘monitoring approach' that will lead to a decrease in the number of on-farm checks. Visits to the field will only be necessary when the digital evidence is not sufficient to verify compliance.
Phil Hogan, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, said: “This new satellite technology will significantly reduce the number of field inspections, removing the climate of fear, which causes significant stress for farmers. It will also benefit public administrations, by reducing the costs of administering controls and checks. It is thus a win-win for farmers and administrators.”
Under current CAP rules, EU member states are required to carry out a number of checks on farms as part of the Integrated Administration and Control System, which ensures that any payments made to farmers from the CAP budget are made correctly. The new rules will allow those member states that wish to do so to eventually replace or complement on-site checks with automated and less burdensome controls. Several member states have already indicated their intention to immediately start using new technologies such a geo-tagged photos.
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