In the area of state premium payments to farms, the concept of cross-compliance plays an important role. It states that farmers (since 1 January 2005) must comply with certain obligations in order to receive premium payments. There are three complexes:

• compliance with statutory management requirements in the fields of public, animal and plant health, the environment and animal welfare;
• the maintenance of good agricultural and environmental condition of the land, and
• the maintenance of permanent pasture.

If some or all of the obligations laid down for these three complexes are not fulfilled, sanctions will be imposed. Depending on the severity, extent, duration or frequency of the infringements, the aid payments for one or more calendar years will be reduced by between 1 % and up to 100 %.