The states of the European Union support the review of the rules of the Common Agricultural Policy
The states of the European Union have agreed to support a review of the rules of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) with the aim of lowering the environmental requirements that farmers must meet in order to receive aid. This review includes the exemption from controls and penalties for small agricultural holdings of less than 10 hectares, with the aim of reducing the administrative burden on farmers. The decision was taken by the representatives of the states meeting in the Special Committee on Agriculture, before the meeting of ministers that is being held this Wednesday in Brussels. The states have defended this decision arguing that it will simplify and reduce the administrative burden on farmers (https://www.softcatala.org/resum-de-textos-en-catala/).
The ratification of the decision by the European Parliament
The decision still needs to be ratified by the European Parliament. This decision has been taken through an emergency procedure to respond to farmers’ protests in most EU countries. The meeting of ministers of Agriculture this Wednesday is marked by the protests of the Belgian farmers in Brussels to put pressure on the ministers.
Beneficiaries of the exemption
According to the Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Luis Planas, some 345,000 farmers in Spain will benefit from this exemption, representing 50% of the CAP beneficiaries. In addition, the reform will apply retroactively from January 1, 2024 (https://www.softcatala.org/resum-de-textos-en-catala/).
Suppression of environmental controls and fines
At EU level, the abolition of environmental controls and fines affects 65% of CAP beneficiaries, but only 10% of land. This will significantly reduce the administrative burden related to controls on farmers.
Temporary and targeted derogations
The agreement also includes the possibility that states can give temporary and targeted derogations on some requirements to receive aid in times of unforeseen weather conditions. These temporary exemptions can be applied to the requirements on minimum land cover in sensitive periods, the minimum percentage of fallow and cropland rotation (https://www.softcatala.org/resum-de-textos-en -Catalan/).
Ratification by the European Parliament
Ratification of the decision by the European Parliament is pending. It is expected that the proposal will be adopted in the plenary at the end of April. If all goes according to plan, the regulation will begin to apply in late spring.
Possibility to prohibit payment to farmers below the cost of production
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, has stated that the possibility of including a ban on paying farmers less than the cost they have had to bear in production will be studied in the revision of the unfair commercial practices directive. This measure aims to guarantee a fair price to farmers. The European Commission has been urged to provide more solutions to respond to the demands of farmers and to be more flexible in the obligations on wetlands and peatlands (https://www.softcatala.org/resum-de-textos-en-catala/) .
Greenpeace reviews
Greenpeace has criticized what it sees as a dismantling of environmental rules in the EU. The organization regrets that the measures are being taken without a democratic debate and in a short space of time. According to Greenpeace, the states’ decision to respond to farmers’ protests does not address the root of the farmers’ crisis (https://www.softcatala.org/resum-de-textos-en-catala/).