David's Digest

The EU announced this week, in line with its target of reducing the administrative burden of the CAP by 25% by 2012, that it has removed 240 pieces of legislation some of which have been on the statute book since the 1950's. Well, hooray for the EU.

The trouble is as fast as they repeal obsolete regulations they seem to introduce new ones to replace them. It is claimed, for instance, that the recent Health Check of the CAP introduced less complex procedures, although I for one have not noticed them. The EU also says it plans to streamline cross compliance rules, change quality policies and marketing standards together with the system of geographical indications - whatever they are.

And that encapsulates the main problem. Simplification for EU officials means changes for those who have to operate under the rules. So as soon as you familiarise yourself with one set of regulations they change them. It may be OK for those whose job it is to dream up new hurdles for farmers to jump and perhaps those consultants who make a living from filling up forms for frustrated farmers. But for busy working people who have to deal with one set of each regulations each year it creates huge problems because of lack of familiarity.

Furthermore, whatever claims may be made about simplification the number of legislative requirements expected of individual farmers is massively excessive. A colleague recently calculated that most mixed farms are responsible for complying with and filling forms for up to 76 different legislative measures and the duties associated with them per year. Its a wonder we have any time to farm.