IACS Forms (Hansard, 5 May 1993)

§ Mr. Steen
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will extend the deadline for the submission of integrated administration and control system forms for one month from 5 May.

§ Mr. Curry
No.

§ Mr. Steen
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about his Department's approach to those who return their IACS forms with(a) minor and (b) major errors.

§ Mr. Curry
We are carrying out an initial brief check of IACS forms received to ensure that essential details have been provided and the application has been signed. Applications which satisfy this test are accepted as having been lodged with the Department on the date of receipt. Other applications are returned to farmers for completion or signature, and will be lodged on the date we received the completed or signed form. We cannot, however, guarantee to check all applications in time for them to be completed before the deadline, and it is for farmers to ensure that they have supplied all the necessary information. All applications will subsequently be subjected to more detailed checks of the information provided. The penalties to be applied where IACS forms are late or inaccurate are laid down by EC regulations. Details are set out in the IACS explanatory booklet, together with the procedures for the correction of genuine errors. We shall be as reasonable as we possibly can in our checks of applications received, particularly where minor errors are involved, but we have to operate within the legislative framework.

§ Mr. Steen
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what penalties he is proposing for those who return IACS forms late; what is the return date for IACS forms in every other EC country; and what are the penalties for late submission in every other EC country.

§ Mr. Curry
The penalties for late claims are laid down in EC regulations, and apply equally in all EC member states. Details are set out in the IACS explanatory booklet.
The EC regulations set a deadline of 15 May for the return of IACS applications this year. I understand that the majority of member states have opted for a deadline on or around 15 May, though Spain set a closing date of 31 March and France a date of 30 April. Portugal has set 30 April for farmers with autumn and winter crops and 15 May for the others. There is provision in the EC regulations for member states to set a deadline between 15 May and 1 July where the application relates only to permanent pasture and it is submitted at the same time as a livestock aid application. I understand that only Ireland has exercised this option.