The recent change in the dates for REPS payments to farmers was described as totally unacceptable by Independent MEP Marian Harkin, today, Monday, February 18th.

She said:-  “I have written to Commissioner Fischer Boel outlining in the strongest possible terms the need to reverse the recent changes on REPS payment dates.  Farmers have planned their expenditure and their outgoings based on the expected dates of payment.  This is a prudent way to do one’s business yet this bombshell arose when farmers were told that payment dates would be delayed by several months and even longer in certain cases.  Nobody can manage a business in that way.  There was no warning, just a statement that farmers would have to wait for payments.   The EU Commissioner has not given any explanation was to why this has happened and there is no clarity in this whole situation.  Who made the decision?  Does this decision refer to REPS 2 and REPS 3 and does it also refer to REPS 4 which is under a different regulation?  All we know for sure is that farmers are left waiting for money when they had every right to expect it to be paid.  However, they now have no certainty, no assurance whatsoever of payment dates and this situation needs to be dealt with immediately.  I have had very many calls to my office on this matter and farmers are extremely frustrated and angry.  I can fully understand their frustration as this seems to be a ‘stroke of the pen’ decision without any warning or explanation”, Marian Harkin concluded.