A detailed look: Adoption by other Member States
A number of implementation options were available for the EU 15 under the SPS. Among these were whether:
- to begin reforms in 2005, 2006 or 2007;
- to adopt an SPS model which allocates the available funds:
- equally to all farmers in a region (known as the regional or flat rate model); or
- according to the subsidy that a farmer received historically under the schemes replaced by the SPS (known as the historic model); or
- using a mixture of the two possibilities (known as the hybrid model).
- to incorporate dairy funding into the SPS, rather than maintaining the separate dairy subsidy schemes, in either 2005, 2006 or 2007;
- to retain elements of partially coupled payments (ranging up to 100% of allocated ceiling expenditure within specific regimes), within the scope of the overall reforms agreed in 2003.
New Member States
For new Member States (NMS) a mandatory flat rate regional model (known formally as the Single Area Payment Scheme (SAPS)) is possible. The NMS are able to adopt the SAPS until 2008 inclusive. The option exists to transfer to the SPS at the start of any year during this time but must be adopted no later than 2009. Any NMS not adopting the SAPS/SPS may operate individual schemes on a 'legacy basis' up until 2009.
Adoption in other parts of the UK.
Implementation of the SPS in the UK is on a country by country basis, in the sense that the Agriculture Departments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have made their own arrangements for their farmers, within the scope of the EU scheme rules.
The SPS model chosen by each of the Devolved Administrations, together with details of any coupled payments each chose to retain, are shown in a European Commission summary table below. For full details of how the SPS has been implemented in other parts of the UK please go to:
Further information
- European Commission background information on the Single Payment Scheme
Page published: 27 September 2007