The Directors of the Paying Agencies meet in Arktikum, Rovaniemi on 5-7 July to discuss the Rural Development Programme for the next few years and implementation of supports paid to farmers in different countries. The participants, about 130 altogether, come from the Ministries of Agriculture and Paying Agencies of the EU Member States, the European Commission and the European Court of Auditors.

The Directors of the EU Paying Agencies are mainly concerned with the implementation of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, including the control, experiences from the cross-compliance conditions contained in the Single Payment Scheme and requirements for the administration of the Paying Agencies during the new programming period.

The Conference provides a discussion forum for the leaders of the Paying Agencies to compare the implementation and the resources needed for this in different Member States as we are approaching the next programming period.

The Paying Agencies are responsible for the payment of supports funded from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund EAGGF as well as for the control of the use of the funds. Each year the payments through the fund total about 50 billion euros, which is about half of the total budget of the European Union. In the programming period 2007-2013 the Paying Agencies will manage the payments to the beneficiaries from both the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund EAGF and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development EAFRD.

There are almost one hundred Paying Agencies in the European Union. In Finland the tasks are managed by the Executive Division of the Department of Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. In the future the tasks will be managed by the new Agency for Rural Affairs, which will get started in May 2007.

Further information from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry:
Ms Leena Tenhola, Agricultural Counsellor, Director of the Finnish Paying Agency, p. +358-(0)9 160 52455, 040 543 0539
Ms Hanna Nikkilä, Head of the Control Unit p. +358-(0)9 160 52459, 040 752 8684