REGIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SPANISH AGRI-ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMES

This paper presents an initial analysis of the degree to which the Eur opean Union agri-environmental schemes have been implemented in Spain. If is focused on the way the various Regional and National Government bodies involved have interpreted Regulation EC 2078/92, rather than o n the degrees of farmer participation in them. The environmental objec tives of the schemes offered, in addition to the proposed scheme eleme nts or measures, the targeted areas and the payments available, are an alysed and compared within the European setting. Administrative decent ralization of responsibilities for agriculture and environment, the di versity of farming uses and the dichotomy between intensified and exte nsive systems all generate a wide range of approaches, which are analy sed in terms of their appropriateness to conservation needs. It is con cluded that the implementation of agh-environmental schemes in protect ed areas, both terrestrial and wetlands, and their surroundings is the most ambitiously tackled objective, followed by the conservation of e xtensive farming systems and their natural values. Overall, the presen t operation of the Spanish agri-environmental programme is quite satis factory in comparison to the objectives set in 1994, although there ha s been considerable delay in its implementation. (C) 1998 Academic Pre ss Limited.