DIRECT PAYMENTS IN THE LIGHT OF THE COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY (CAP) REGULATIONS FOR THE PERIOD 2014-2020

The article presents the assessment of the changes in the system of direct payments as an instrument of the EU Common Agricultural Policy in the new financial perspective for 2014-2020. The level of financing under the Common Agricultural Policy in historical context was described as well as the level of spendings on direct payments was stated. The changes in the payment system were reviewed by referring to differentiations in the mechanism applied by Member States. The article presents the arguments and evidence that the new payment solutions continue to be inconsistent and many regulations in terms of their scope are left to the discretion of individual member states. The novelty in the current financial perspective is to define a farmer who is professionally active, creating the possibility of shifting part of the funds from the payment system to the rural areas and vice versa as well as to introduce the new rules relating to the environmental requirements on the farm.