Support system for producers of certain arable crops (amend. Regul. 1765/92/EEC)

The Commission report - after being based on the three first marketing years since the 1992 CAP reform required farmers to withdraw 15% of their arable land from production - recommends maintaining for a certain period the compulsory and extraordinary set-aside as a precaution against excessive production of cereals. However, in order to prevent or alleviate the secondary and undesirable effects of this system certain modifications could be envisaged. The report proposes in particular deducting a certain proportion of voluntary set-aside from the calculation of the overshoot for the region concerned. The idea is to reduce any overshoot by applying to areas of voluntary set-aside a corrective coefficient of 75% to take into account the likely lower productivity of this land. This modification would reduce the frequency and severity of the sanction where an overshoot is associated with voluntary set-aside which could otherwise be perceived as unjustified. Another option considered could be to introduce a maximum rate of extraordinary set-aside. This modification would reduce the problem of shifts between the general and the simplified schemes and between base areas. The risks of incorporation of new land into the COP areas to avoid the sanction would also be reduced. Ideally this rate should be the maximum rate that does not encourage producers to switch from one scheme, base area or product to another. On the basis of the results of consultations on this report the Commission will make appropriate proposals to be implemented for the plantings in autumn 1995 and spring 1996. �