Parliament adopted at second reading amendments to the law on support for farmers

Bulgaria’s Parliament on September 25 adopted at second reading amendments to the Law on support for farmers, tabled by Ivan Ivanov (BSP for Bulgaria), Atidze Aliyeva-Veli (MRF), Desislava Taneva and Maria Belova (GERB-UDF).

The amendments specify the limitation periods applicable to the issuance of a decision imposing a financial correction and an act establishing a public debt. It specifies the point from which administrative acts are considered to have been served. The point in time from which farmers are considered active when applying for direct payments is clarified.

It is clarified which data are used to determine the amount of farm-related wages, including taxes and social security contributions related to employment, to be deducted from the approved basic income support for sustainability payments for the calendar year concerned.

The changes create the legal possibility of continuity between the young farmers' scheme and the supplementary income support intervention for young farmers, guaranteeing the five-year eligibility of beneficiaries to receive the additional support, subject to all other conditions.

A legal basis is created for laying down the rules and conditions for applying for a financial contribution towards premiums under insurance schemes. It defines the act which will establish the guidelines laying down the conditions for application and implementation. Rules are laid down governing the specifics of administrative contracts, administrative acts granting or refusing grants. Provision is made for cases in which the State Fund for Agriculture does not take action to recover financial assistance unduly paid.

The amendments create a legal basis for the imposition of financial corrections in cases where the State Fund for Agriculture is the beneficiary of aid, where non-compliance with public procurement rules has been established.