Decoupl payments principally subsidies will be 'de-coupled' from production.

Decoupl payments

principally subsidies will be 'de-coupled' from production, and revolveed into a single, simplified payment. These will be calculated using the track records of individual farmers in sector-specific aid schemes in the years 2000-2002

Farmers are required to maintain land in 'good agronomic condition', moreover not necessarily to produce, and can switch to different exemplars of production from those included in the relation period. This, the Commission believes, will establish the payments as 'green box' compatible within the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and make farmers responsive to market signals.

Payments must, however, be tied to a