"The simplification will make it easier to comply with the cross-compliance measures -- good agricultural and environmental conditions -- namely in the minimum soil cover, in the crop rotation through diversification and in the end of the obligation to leave a part of the agricultural area to non-productive surfaces, such as fallow land", the executive detailed in a statement.

The diploma in question, signed by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, José Manuel Fernandes, also promotes simplification for farms with up to 10 hectares of declared agricultural area.

These farms are exempt from control and administrative sanctions under cross-compliance.

On the other hand, according to the same document, farms that are located in areas affected by adverse climatic phenomena that, "due to their severity and duration, prevent compliance with a standard or part of a standard of good agricultural and environmental conditions will benefit from a temporary derogation due to weather conditions".

The Ministry of Agriculture pointed out that the first year of implementation of the CAP "demonstrated the need for adjustments", in order to ensure the implementation of the Strategic Plans of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAPSP).

The Council of Ministers of Agriculture and the Parliament approved the proposal for a regulation to simplify the CAP, and it is now necessary to adapt the national rules.

The application deadline for the Single Application (SA) 2024 has also been extended to 14 June.

Initially, applications could be submitted between 01 March and 31 May.

"In order to give predictability to farmers, so that they can use these new simplification rules, we will extend the Single Application until 14 June of this year, without changing the planned calendar", the Minister of Agriculture said, quoted in the same note.

On Wednesday, Confagri (National Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives and Agricultural Credit of Portugal) expressed concern about the evolution of the number of applications for the SA, "taking into account the difficulties and problems that repeatedly occur with information systems".

Confagri's secretary-general, Nuno Serra, lamented the "excessive bureaucracy" associated with this process.

The SA is a request for direct payment of aid that is part of the schemes subject to the IACS - Integrated Administration and Control System.

This request covers direct payments, associated support, eco-schemes, rural development, Natura network payments, maintenance of agricultural activity in less-favoured areas and forestry measures.

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