Farmers – EU: The Council of Ministers supports the targeted review of the CFP

It was adopted today (26.3.2024) the revision of its basic instruments by the representatives of the Member States in the special Committee on Agriculture, which the European Commission has proposed in response to the concerns expressed by . Through the review, problems arise, for example, with the implementation of the strategic plans of the CAP, simplify, reduce the administrative burden on farmers and provide greater flexibility to comply with certain environmental conditions. Ensure targeted response The review deals with certain aspects of the CFP strategic plans and the regulation on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy (the so-called horizontal regulation). The text strikes a careful balance between the need to maintain a high level of environmental and climate ambition in the current CFP and ensuring that farmers’ concerns are addressed. Adjustment of conditions The Special Committee on Agriculture today approved the changes to the standards of good agricultural and environmental conditions (GAEC) proposed by the European Commission. GAEC is a set of nine environmental and climate-benefit standards applicable to farmers receiving support under the CAP. These standards are also referred to as conditions, given the relationship between meeting these requirements and supporting farmers. One of the main changes is that a general provision is introduced allowing Member States to grant temporary and targeted derogations from certain conditions requirements in the event of unforeseen climatic conditions preventing farmers from complying with them. Once a year, Member States should inform the Commission of such derogations. In addition, specific exemptions are introduced from certain GAEC standards, such as: for GAEC 6 on soil cover during sensitive periods: Member States will have greater flexibility to decide which territories to protect and at what time, based on national and regional specificities for GAEC 7 on crop rotation: rotation will remain the main practice, but Member States will be able to use crop diversification as an alternative. This is less demanding for farmers, especially in areas subject to drought or high rainfall for GAEC 8: farmers will be obliged only to maintain the existing characteristics of the field and from now on they will be encouraged, on a voluntary basis, to keep the land in fallow or create new field characteristics through ecological systems. The approved review shall also exclude small holdings of less than 10 hectares from controls and penalties related to compliance with conditions requirements under the CFP. Since this concerns 65% of CAP beneficiaries, but accounts for only about 10% of agricultural land, it will significantly reduce the administrative burden associated with controls for both farmers and national administrations while maintaining environmental objectives. More flexibility for Member States and farmers According to previous Member States’ requests, the review will ensure that EU countries can now amend their strategic plans for the CFP twice a year on a permanent basis, as opposed to once, as is the case today. This will give the Member States greater flexibility to deal with changing conditions. In addition, three additional requests for changes throughout the programming period will still be possible. Next steps The chairman of the Special Committee on Agriculture will now send the letter to the European Parliament. The European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture has decided to use the urgent procedure for this proposal. Parliament’s position at first reading is expected to be adopted in its plenary session on 22-25 April 2024. The Regulation will then be formally adopted by the Council, signed by the representatives of the Council and the European Parliament and published in the Official Journal. If everything goes as planned, the regulation will enter into force by the end of this spring. Given the extremely short time between the Commission’s approval of the proposal (15 March 2024) and its intended entry into force, this shows the commitment of the three institutions to quickly address the current situation of European farmers.