Germany yesterday published a list of most recipients of the 5.4 billion euros of EU farm subsidies it receives as required under European law, becoming the last EU country to do so.
But the state of Bavaria is still refusing to comply with the requirements pending a European Court of Justice ruling on the legality of doing so, with German critics claiming the publication of names and amounts violates privacy laws.
Expressing "extreme disappointment" with Bavaria's "incomprehensible" decision not to publish, EU Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said the European Commission had "no choice but to start an infringement procedure against Germany".
An EU regulation adopted last March – and supported by Germany - requires all member states to make publicly available, by the end of April each year, websites that allow people to search for CAP beneficiaries by name, municipality or amount received (see 'Background').
Berlin had originally failed to publish the list by a 30 April deadline, citing data protection concerns, leading the EU executive to threaten Germany with infringement proceedings (EurActiv 24/04/09).
Indeed, German Agriculture Ilse Aigner was reluctant to sanction yesterday's publication of the information. Farmers "will not be amused" at seeing their names and income made public, Aigner is quoted by Deutsche Welle as saying.
"In the villages, everyone will immediately know who is receiving how much in subsidies. That is why I insisted on making transparent for what purposes the money is being granted," she said.
Asked by EurActiv Germany when he expected the legal proceedings to begin, Michael Mann, spokesperson for Commissioner Fischer Boel, said "it could be as early as next week".
Mann warned that it could take "months" for the case to be resolved.
