The small number of applications that remain pending concern applications with deficiencies and/or errors that should be thoroughly studied and subject to gradual processing.
Processing has been completed and 29,000 of the approximately 29,500 submitted applications of the Single Application for Hectare Subsidies 2023 have been completed, as stated in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Cyprus Agricultural Payments Organization (KOAP), noting that the small number of applications that remain pending, concern applications with deficiencies and/or errors that should be thoroughly studied and subject to gradual processing.
As it is reported, KOAP has largely adhered to the planning it has announced in relation to the payment of the aid and notes that although this year is the first of the new Programming Period, which has introduced a lot of amendments that the Paying Organizations are obliged to and in general the member states to integrate both in their Information Systems and in their National Legislation, the CPA managed, with small delays, to reform its systems appropriately and to be able to process the submitted applications correctly, as provided by the European legislation.
It is added that although the said Legislation gives the Paying Organizations the possibility to pay the aids from December 1, 2023 until June 30, 2024, however, KOAP has paid the said aids until today, with few exceptions.
In addition, in the announcement it is noted that with regard to the relevant allegations of the Pancypriot Wheat Producers Organization, for "unjustified delay" in the payment of the hectare subsidies, that the work of the KOAP is to pay the aid to the eligible applicants after the completion of all the required administrative and on-site checks , which are dictated by the relevant EU Regulations as well as the Cyprus Strategic Plan CAP 2023-2027.
It is noted that cases of applications with particularities, such as omissions and/or errors require more time to complete their processing correctly and it is added that direct payments also include payments for capital subsidies, which have been paid in full as well as payments from the Ecological Programs which are paid at the same time as the other hectare subsidies.
It is reported that in no case is the allegation of a delay in the payment of the relevant aid justified, while it is noted that with regard to the comment of the Pancypriot Wheat Producers Organization, for real support of the primary sector, "we clearly and agree that changes in the strategic plan of the of Cyprus, as agreed between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural Organizations".
The primary sector does not only concern Wheat Producers, but all branches of agriculture and animal husbandry, the announcement concludes.