NFU Report: NFU outlines non-agricultural use impact on SPS

A letter has gone to the European Commission stating the NFU"e;s position in relation to non-agricultural use and its impact on SPS. The regulations emerging from the 2003 CAP reforms did not allow for non-agricultural use of areas of land against which an SPS claim was made, however temporary. A UK-wide approach to deal with the issue was developed, based on different categories of non-agricultural use.

As part of the CAP health check, there"e;s a provision in the proposed regulation for non-agricultural use to take place as long as it doesn"e;t affect the predominantly agricultural character of the land. The Commission is to draw up implementing rules. Ideally, any guidelines would be based on the UK approach, which is clear and has worked very well in practice, as stated in the letter.