In 2023, there were major changes for both advisors and farmers. Then, for the first time, recruitment for premium activities was conducted electronically, through the ARiMR system (eWniosekPlus).
– Although this was supposed to make the application processing faster and easier, it did not necessarily work out that way in practice – comment specialists from the consulting company Agraves. You can read more here:
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eWniosekPlus was supposed to streamline the processing of applications, but practice shows otherwise
We asked ARiMR for its position on these allegations.
What did the Agency respond?
– Ladies and Gentlemen, after reading the article "eWniosekPlus was supposed to streamline the processing of applications, but practice shows otherwise", which included allegations from advisors from one of the private entities, I would like to present the position of the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture on this matter. First of all, it should be noted that the eWniosekPlus application is used exclusively to submit applications for direct and area payments, and the processing of these applications and the payment of money in this respect always proceeds smoothly. ARiMR is obliged to pay the final payments by 30 June. In accordance with EU regulations, a member state will fulfill this obligation on time if no more than 5% of the funds paid out by that time remain to be paid after 30 June. ARiMR has never missed this deadline – ARiMR writes in a response to the farmer.pl editorial office.
And further:
– Payments under the 2023 campaign were particularly difficult because completely new payments were introduced in the form of eco-schemes. In some cases, e.g. the "Animal Welfare" eco-scheme, inspections ended in the second half of April and only then could decisions be issued and funds paid out. ARiMR made every effort to pay farmers the money they were owed as soon as possible. This was fully implemented – 96% of the 2023 payments were paid by 25 June 2024. Currently, only cases remain to be considered in which either the farmer's death was confirmed and inheritance cases are ongoing, or irregularities were found.
Comparing apples to pears
In your article, however, the advisors discuss issues related to aid provided under the Strategic Plan for the Common Agricultural Policy for 2023-2027. All applications for this support are processed electronically via the Electronic Services Platform. These include applications for premiums for young farmers and for the development of small farms. In the aforementioned text , an advisor to one of the private companies accuses that processing documents takes longer than when they were accepted in paper form. It is a bit like comparing a car model manufactured in 2024 with a model of the same car from 2010. What was good in the past will not work well today. Why? If only because the number of tasks carried out by ARiMR has increased significantly over the last few years. In addition to programs that are a continuation of those from previous years, e.g. Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, ARiMR also processes applications under completely new instruments, such as KPO. It also implements aid measures from the national budget, which are a response to emergency situations, e.g. for grain producers in connection with the war in Ukraine or for farmers who suffered losses due to natural disasters. These applications were submitted in paper form. If all documents were accepted in this way, the time for their processing would be much longer.
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What about handling agricultural subsidy applications in flood-affected areas?
Handling applications in other regions is a good practice
Advisors from the company mentioned in the article complain that applications from one province are handled in a completely different region and see this as the reason for their longer processing. On the contrary, the Agency strives to ensure that submitted documents are verified as efficiently as possible. Therefore , those regional branches of ARiMR that are less burdened with work receive applications from regions where there are more of them. If this system were not used, the processing of documents would be significantly longer. Efficient transfer of application processing between branches is possible precisely because the documents are submitted electronically. Importantly, each regional branch employs experts who handle such applications. It is therefore not surprising that applications from the Wielkopolska province are handled by experts from Podlasie – these are the same type of applications, and the procedures for their processing are the same throughout Poland. The speed of processing applications is also influenced by the completeness of the submitted documents . It often happens that farmers have to supplement them or provide additional explanations. Because it can be done electronically, the process can be shorter than if it had to be done on paper.
The starting year is always the calendar year
It is also not entirely possible to agree with the statement that "Such a long processing of applications also has a significant impact on farmers themselves. Changes in the farm that occur before submitting an application for payment of the first instalment of aid affect the need to make changes to the prepared applications. (…) For example, at the stage of submitting the application, we assumed that the client had, for example, 10 hectares and would sign a contract with the Agency by the end of 2023. However, this time was extended, and in the meantime the farmer acquired new land or started animal production. His situation changed, which also affects the baseline year, which is presented in the business plan. Therefore, we have to process everything and are not able to submit an application for payment of the first instalment." It should be noted that not every increase in the area of the farm or herd, occurring before submitting an application for payment of the first instalment of aid, will involve the need to make changes to the prepared applications in relation to the baseline year. The starting year, always and invariably, regardless of the time of signing the agreement, is the calendar year in which the application for aid is submitted. Also, those farmers who decided to increase the area of the farm or the herd of animals that was not included in the business plan in the starting year, have the possibility of including such an increase already in relation to the target year. Yes, it will be connected with the necessity to assume changes to the business plan each time, but it will not in any way make it difficult to submit an application for payment of the first instalment.
– To sum up, the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture makes every effort and uses various new solutions to ensure that farmers' applications are considered as efficiently as possible – emphasises the ARiMR Press Office.
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