| The reform of the CAP in 1999, with extensive revisions in 2003 (Council regulation 1782/2003), was constructed around three central ideas: decoupling, cross-compliance of payments, and modulation. Decoupling, which is specifically analysed in this article, is intended to eliminate all aid linked in one way or another to production, in favour of aid which is completely independent of the production activity. It is encapsulated in the new 2003 regulation by the introduction of the right to a single farm payment (SFP) proportional to farm area, independent of production activities. These new arrangements have been accompanied by much variation in the application of the reform, and the member states have taken great advantage of the extensive room for... |
