The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Deadline for paying EU subsidies missed
Ewing awaits Commission decision on request for extension
The Scottish Government has missed a European Union deadline for making farm subsidy payments.
EU rules say 95.24% of all payments under the Common Agricultural Policy must be delivered by June 30.
Anything less is likely to result in fines from the European Commission unless the Scottish Government secures an extension to the payment deadline as requested last month.
Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing confirmed the total paid by close of business on June 30 was short of the EU payments target.
He said that as of close of business on Friday, Basic Payment Scheme, Greening and Young Farmer payments worth £343 million had been made to an estimated 16,521 farmers and crofters, representing around 90.4% of expected total payments for those schemes.
“We are awaiting a final determination from the European Commission regarding an extension to the payment deadline to October 15, if necessary, on the grounds of the acutely challenging delivery and implementation issues we face in Scotland,” Mr Ewing said.
“Our payments made to date, along with the national loan scheme, mean that the majority of farmers and crofters have received their money.
“Over the coming weeks we will be working hard to ensure that we complete the remaining payments due to farmers and crofters as quickly as possible.”