The position with regard to payments under the 2001 premium and compensatory allowance schemes is that some €1.131 billion has been paid to farmers under these schemes to date. In fact, since 1 May 2002, almost 445,000 payments in excess of €164 million have issued.
Payments under the 2001 extensification premium scheme commenced on 7 June and some 113,600 payments totalling more than €128 million have issued to date. The vast majority of clear cases have now received their entitlements and payments are continuing as queries are being resolved. Payment will be made in all eligible cases by 30 June in line with EU rules and Protocol commitments.