The new single payment scheme is applicable to persons who actively farmed during 2000, 2001 and 2002, who were paid livestock premia and-or arable aid in one or more of those years and who continue to farm in 2005. Under the provisions of the relevant EU regulations, an individual, who was in receipt of direct payments during this period, has at least three options as outlined below regarding the single payment scheme. He or she can take over the management of the farm and claim the single payment; transfer the lands by way of gift to a relative. The transferee can claim the inherited entitlements by completing form SPS/3/NE, available from my Department's local offices and website, and submitting it to my Department.
The lands could be transferred by way of lease or sale whereby the following provisions will apply to the transfer of the single payment entitlements. A lease-sale agreement which is in place by the closing date for receipt of applications for the single payment in 2005 may be considered as the lease-sale of the entitlements with land if the following criteria are met: a clause is included in the lease-sale agreement indicating that the farmer intends to lease-sell with the land the payment entitlements to be established by the transferee; the transferor applies to establish the entitlements and attach a copy of the lease-sale agreement; the transferee applies for single payment and attaches a copy of the lease-sale agreement to the application.
