The National Chamber of Agrarian Economy has prepared for the first application period of the new support system

Every year, approximately 70 percent of the subsidy requests are submitted by the chamber’s farmers in Hungary. Until May 31 last year, out of 160,000 applications, 108,000 were submitted by farmers with the assistance of the Chamber.

As in previous years, the submission period for uniform applications begins in April this year as well

Due to the new support cycle that started at the beginning of the year, the rules have changed a lot, so it takes more time and work to prepare the applications. In view of this, the previously customary penalty of a 1 percent subsidy reduction per working day will not be applied in the last stage of the application period this year, and applications can be submitted without penalty until June 9, 2023. On the other hand, unified applications submitted after the deadline are rejected without a substantive examination.

The requirements of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) significantly affect uniform applications at several points

For example, the agro-ecology program (AÖP) is a novelty, in the framework of which farmers receive additional support in exchange for the fulfillment of voluntary one-year green commitments. When filling out the uniform application, it is necessary to indicate which undertakings are made in your farm, and which part of it (board) you want to implement them. When applying for some subsidies, it is necessary to attach documents and declarations to the single application, for example, for the young farmer subsidy, a document certifying an agricultural qualification or a certificate of at least two years of professional experience.

There are several support titles this year

When submitting an application, compared to last year’s 43, this year it is possible to apply for support for 50 support titles and measures, and to fulfill the obligation to provide data. The unified application can still be submitted only electronically, on the online interface of the Hungarian State Treasury (MÁK). From this year, in the case of the unified application and its titles, it will be mandatory to maintain contact entirely electronically: from the submission of the application to the submission of possible appeals and objections, documents can only be submitted electronically. The MÁK also sends decisions, documents, and minutes electronically to the client’s or their representative’s customer portal. More information about uniform applications is available on the NAK portal: https://www.nak.hu/ek-2023.

The NAK assumed a decisive role in introducing the new KAP to its members and thereby also helping to attract subsidies

It provides information about the new support system on a regularly updated collection page on its portal. In cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, it organized farmer forums across the country and published several informative publications. Such is the short, easy-to-understand summary of the main elements of the subsidies of the Common Agricultural Policy between 2023-2027, which focuses on the most essential information required for submitting a single application. A publication was prepared on the system of conditionality rules, production-related subsidies, the agro-ecology program, and support for young producers starting their agricultural activities. A KAP calculator is also available on its website, where producers can calculate their expected support tailored to their own farm. In addition, a 19-part video series helps you get to know the new CAP, which can also be viewed on the public body’s website.

NAK