The independence of Switzerland from the EU has allowed the development of unilateral agri-environmental policies. Article 31b provides a comprehensive approach to ecological farming that now covers more than half of the farmed area of the country. It is a progressive direct payment system developedin full consultation with farmers and contrasts with environmental incorporation in the Common Agricultural Policy in a number of significant ways. Despite a number of modifications to the scheme in its initial implementation,it provides the foundation for a pervasive sustainable agriculture in combination with the production of high quality ecologically-based food products.

[fre] Les facteurs qui conditionnent le développement de l'agriculture suisse se modifient rapidement. La réhabilitation du marché pour l'orientation de la production, l'abandon de la politique des prix (élevés) comme facteur essentiel de la rémunération des activités agricoles, leur substitution par les paiements directs, notamment pour la rémunération des prestations environnementales, sont parmi les facteurs de changement essentiels de la nouvelle politique agricole de la Confédération helvétique. L'article met particulièrement en évidence l'augmentation rapide et considérable des paiements directs, fruits d'une politique active du gouvernement dans la phase de transition que vit l'agriculture suisse. Il est cependant important de placer l'octroi des paiements directs dans un cadre d'analyse économique. Ces derniers ne sont justifiés que lorsque le principe de pollueur- payeur ne peut être appliqué, et dans le cas où des prestations non marchandes sollicitées par la société ne sont pas rémunérées par les mécanismes du marché dans la triple perspective internationale, nationale et locale. [eng] Direct paiements, central tool of the swiss agricultural policy . The factors exerting an influence on the recent development of Swiss agriculture are rapidly changing. Some of the main factors of change initiated by the new agricultural policy are the following : (i) Guiding agricultural production thanks to the rehabilitation of the rules of the market, (ii) Giving up of the price policy (guaranteed, high prices as sole remuneration for agricultural activities). (iii) Increasing importance of direct payments, especially for awarding environmental prestations. The article stresses the quick and considerable increase in direct payments which are the result of the government's determined policy in this transitional phase of Switzerland's agriculture. However, it is important to analyse the direct payments in an economic perspective. These direct payments are only justified if the polluter-payer principle cannot be applied and if market-external benefits for the society are not paid for by the market mechanism, neither locally, nor nationally, nor internationally.

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